Montana Department of Labor and Industries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2/16/2011
Montana’s Small Businesses Targeted by Aggressive Labor Poster Companies
(February 16, 2011, Helena, MT) The MT Department of Labor and Industry is hearing from small businesses who are tired of the aggressive marketing tactics of some companies who sell labor law posters.
“We are getting reports from Montana businesses that some of these companies are sending posters and demanding payment, despite the fact that the business didn’t order them. These companies are even suggesting that by not purchasing the poster the business is breaking the law”, said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly. “We want to remind businesses if you get something in the mail you didn’t order, you are not obligated in any way to pay for it. You can write did not order, return to sender on the envelope and send it back to the company.”
The Five in One posters, which are available at no cost from the Department’s Job Service Division, encompass Equal Employment Opportunity, Family and Medical Leave Act with Military Family Leave (employers with 50 or more employees), Federal Minimum Wage (Fair Labor Standards Act), and the Polygraph Protection Act. Federal regulations also require posting the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). All posters are available at the Job Service offices.
Posters also required by Montana State Law include: Proof of Unemployment Insurance coverage (provided by the Department of Labor and Industry, Unemployment Insurance Contributions Bureau) and Proof of Workers’ Compensation coverage, provided by Workers’ Compensation Insurance carrier. Employers are not required to post the State minimum wage.
Businesses that have returned the posters and are still getting invoices from the poster company can contact the Better Business Bureau at 1-800-356-1007 or file a complaint online at www.bbb.org.
Businesses who would like to request a copy of the Federal Five in One poster can call (406)-444-4100 or their local Job Service Office. For more information log onto http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/service/officelist.asp