Obermayer Rebman Maxwell & Hippel, LLP.

EEOC Issues Revised Mandatory Poster
November 4, 2009

Proving that there is never a dull moment in the world of employment law, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on October 22, 2009 that it has revised its poster entitled “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law,” which employers covered by federal antidiscrimination laws are required to post in the workplace. The new poster cites to both the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which contains antidiscrimination provisions effective November 21, 2009, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA), which became effective on January 1, 2009. Additionally, the revised version of the poster includes updates from the Department of Labor.

To comply with the new posting requirement, an employer has two options. First, the employer may download and print the EEOC’s “EEO is the Law” poster supplement and place the supplement next to the EEOC’s 2002 edition of the “EEO is the Law” poster (or the Department of Labor’s August 2008 poster entitled “EEO is the Law,” whichever poster the employer currently posts). The second option is to download and post the November 2009 version of the “EEOC is the Law” poster, which would replace the employer’s existing poster. Both documents are available at http://www.eeoc.gov/posterform.html.

Employers may also order a new poster through the EEOC at the following address:

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 541
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

These posters are on backorder and will be shipped when they becomes available. The new poster will also be available in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic before November 21, 2009.

Posting the revised poster is mandatory, and employers should comply with the EEOC’s directive immediately. I am available to answer questions regarding compliance with this new posting requirement.

The information contained in this article should not be construed as legal advice, is not a substitute for legal counsel, and should not be relied on as such. For legal advice or answers to specific questions, please contact one of our attorneys.