Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2026)
Failing to display the federally-mandated FMLA workplace notice can trigger DOL investigations, leading to civil penalties and employee lawsuits. In Colorado Springs, all covered employers must post the U.S. Department of Labor’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster, also known as the mandatory workplace poster. Key facts:
- 10 fields total — ApronPrep auto-fills 8
- $0–$0 government filing fees (no cost for the poster itself)
- Varies for compliance verification (must be displayed immediately upon hiring your first employee)
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Why You Need a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster
Your restaurant must display the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster to comply with federal law, specifically the U.S. Department of Labor's regulations. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) forms the basis of wage and hour compliance, but the FMLA is the separate federal statute that mandates eligible employees be granted up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons. The requirement to post this notice is detailed in 29 C.F.R. § 825.300, enforced by the Wage and Hour Division. While Colorado Springs doesn't have an additional local ordinance for this specific poster, all city businesses with 50+ employees on their payroll for at least 20 weeks in the current or preceding year are bound by these federal rules. The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can see it, typically alongside other required labor law notices.
Failure to post the FMLA notice carries direct, escalating consequences from the DOL. This is not a 'suggested' poster—it's a core compliance item checked during investigations, which are often triggered by employee complaints or wage audits. The practical penalties for non-compliance are layered:
- Civil money penalties: For willful or repeated violations, the Department of Labor can assess civil monetary penalties. While the specific penalty for failing to post isn't a fixed dollar amount, it becomes a violation cited alongside other findings (like improper leave denials), which can compound fines.
- Investigative trigger: The absence of this poster is a red flag to DOL investigators. It signals potential broader non-compliance with wage, hour, or leave laws, which can expand a routine inquiry into a full audit of your payroll, timekeeping, and leave records.
- Legal and insurance exposure: If an employee is denied FMLA leave and you lack the posted notice, they have stronger grounds for a lawsuit. Your business insurance may not cover claims stemming from willful violations of labor law, and your commercial lease may have clauses requiring compliance with all federal regulations, potentially putting your tenancy at risk.
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
Recent update: As of 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor has reissued the FMLA poster with updated contact information; while the core rights remain unchanged, using an outdated poster is considered non-compliance.
Who Needs a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | FMLA coverage applies because establishments with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius are required to display the poster under 29 CFR § 825.300. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Covered by the same employer threshold as restaurants; if you have 50+ employees within 75 miles, you must post the notice per U.S. Department of Labor regulations. |
| Food Truck | Not Required | Typically exempt unless part of a fleet or larger entity that collectively employs 50+ workers within 75 miles, as individual operators rarely meet the employee count threshold. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Subject to the standard FMLA coverage rule for employers with 50+ employees, requiring the poster under 29 U.S.C. § 2619. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (10 Fields)
8 of 10 auto-filledTotal Number of Employees
numberEnter the total number of employees on your payroll, including part-time staff, at all work sites within a 75-mile radius as defined by 29 C.F.R. § 825.110; count employees for each working day during the preceding 20 or more calendar workweeks.
COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly counting only full-time employees or failing to aggregate employees across nearby locations, which can lead to non-compliance if the 50-employee threshold is miscalculated.
Understanding of FMLA Poster Requirement
booleanConfirm you understand that all covered employers (50+ employees) must display the official FMLA poster per 29 C.F.R. § 825.300(a), regardless of whether all employees are eligible for leave.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming the poster is only required if employees have requested FMLA leave, which is incorrect and a common basis for Department of Labor (DOL) citations.
FMLA Poster Downloaded
booleanConfirm you have obtained the current, official 'Family and Medical Leave Act' poster (WH Publication 1420) from the U.S. Department of Labor's website or another authorized source.
COMMON MISTAKE: Displaying an outdated poster (e.g., from before 2024) or a poster from a non-government commercial site that may not contain the legally required text, risking non-compliance.
Poster Acquisition Method
selectSelect how you acquired the poster: directly from the DOL website (dol.gov/whd), via a state labor department, or through a verified compliance service like ApronPrep.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting a method that does not guarantee the official, up-to-date poster, such as a generic HR template website, which can lead to displaying incorrect or non-compliant information.
Poster Display Location
textDescribe the physical location where the poster is displayed (e.g., 'Employee break room bulletin board', 'Main hallway near time clock'), ensuring it's a conspicuous place where employees and applicants can readily see it.
COMMON MISTAKE: Stating a vague or inaccessible location (e.g., 'in the manager's office'), which does not meet the DOL's 'conspicuous place' requirement per 29 C.F.R. § 825.300(a) and can trigger violations.
Business Has Multiple Locations
booleanIndicate if your business operates from more than one distinct physical work site, as this triggers the requirement to display the poster at each location where employees report.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'No' when you have separate worksites (even within the same city), leading to missing the requirement to post at all locations and potential DOL penalties.
Number of Business Locations
numberIf you have multiple locations, enter the total count of distinct work sites where employees are employed, as the FMLA poster must be displayed at each site to comply with federal posting rules.
COMMON MISTAKE: Under-counting remote work hubs or satellite offices, which can result in an incomplete posting compliance audit and fines during a DOL investigation.
Poster Display Confirmed
booleanConfirm you have physically verified the poster is currently displayed in the required conspicuous location(s) and is not obscured, damaged, or outdated.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming the poster is still up without a recent check; posters can be removed, covered, or faded, leading to non-compliance even if initially posted correctly.
Poster Maintenance Plan
booleanConfirm you have a process (e.g., a monthly checklist) to ensure the posted notice remains in good condition, legible, and securely affixed, as required for continuous compliance.
COMMON MISTAKE: Lacking a routine check, leading to unnoticed damage or removal of the poster, which the DOL considers a failure to maintain the required notice.
Monitoring for Poster Updates
booleanConfirm you monitor for official updates from the U.S. Department of Labor, as the FMLA poster is revised periodically, and displaying an outdated version is non-compliant.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming the poster never changes; the DOL updated the poster in 2024, and failure to update can result in citations and fines per 29 C.F.R. § 825.300.
Top 5 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster Mistakes
1. Displaying an Outdated or Generic Federal Poster
The biggest mistake is posting the basic, free federal FMLA poster from the DOL website without the required Colorado addendum. This fails to inform employees of their state-specific rights, including the Colorado Family Care Act. An employer must display the "Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act" poster (WH Publication 1420) alongside the official Colorado FAMLI Division's "Know Your Rights" workplace poster. Posting only the federal version can lead to non-compliance findings during a DOL or state investigation, potentially resulting in fines for each violation.
2. Incorrect or Inaccessible Poster Placement
Taping the FMLA poster in a back office, break room, or online-only employee handbook is insufficient. Federal law (29 CFR § 825.300(a)) requires it be posted in a "conspicuous place" where employees and applicants can see it, typically where other employment notices are displayed. In Colorado Springs, common misplacement includes locked HR offices or digital-only access on a rarely visited intranet page. This mistake can invalidate the posting requirement, weakening an employer's defense if an employee claims they were unaware of their FMLA rights.
3. Failing to Update for Colorado FAMLI Integration
Since 2024, Colorado's paid FAMLI program has changed the leave landscape. A critical mistake is not updating internal policies and verbally informing employees that FMLA leave may run concurrently with paid FAMLI leave. The poster itself doesn't change, but employers must understand and communicate the interaction. For example, an employee in Colorado Springs taking leave for a serious health condition may be eligible for both unpaid, job-protected FMLA leave and paid benefits through FAMLI. Failing to explain this can lead to employee confusion, improper leave designation, and administrative errors in benefits coordination.
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Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster by City in Colorado
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | ||
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Timeline: 1-3 Business Days
Prepare Your Business Information
Gather your official business name (as it appears on your EIN confirmation letter) and the physical address of your Colorado Springs worksite. You'll also need the contact information for the employee responsible for HR or benefits administration. This step ensures the poster's footer information is accurate, which is a common oversight for multi-location businesses.
Download the Official 2026 FMLA Poster
Access the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division website to download the latest mandatory 'Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act' poster (Form WHD 1420). As of 2026, this is the only federally approved version. Do not use posters from third-party vendors without verifying they match the DOL's current PDF, as outdated versions violate posting rules.
Post the Notice in a Conspicuous Location
Print the poster on standard letter-sized paper and display it in a prominent area where all employees and applicants can see it, such as a common break room, near time clocks, or alongside other required labor law posters (like Colorado's Minimum Wage notice). The DOL requires it to be posted in all locations, even if you have no eligible employees. Remote worksites require electronic posting or direct mailing.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Corporation)
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThere is no formal processing time as you don't 'get' a poster from a government agency. The process involves finding the official, current FMLA poster and displaying it immediately. According to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulations, covered employers must post the notice in a conspicuous place. Since this is not a permit you apply for, the timeline is immediate upon acquiring the poster.
The official FMLA poster from the U.S. Department of Labor is free to download and print. There are $0 government filing fees for this federal posting requirement. However, failing to post it can result in penalties; to manage all your posting obligations efficiently, you'll also need the Colorado COMPS Order Poster, which is also free from the state. Not legal advice — verify with the DOL.
Yes, you must transfer and re-post it. The FMLA poster is not tied to a specific address or registered to your business; it's a general notice you are required to display wherever you have covered employees. When you move your restaurant to a new location in Colorado Springs, you simply need to ensure the current poster is displayed at the new site. This differs from location-specific permits like a City Business License/Registration, which requires an update.
You don't renew it, but you must replace it whenever the DOL publishes an updated version. The poster content is updated when federal regulations change, so you are responsible for checking for updates. There is no set renewal cycle; you must monitor DOL announcements. This contrasts with annual renewals required for other obligations like your Colorado Employer Withholding Tax Registration.
A Wage and Hour Division investigator from the U.S. Department of Labor will check for the poster's presence and compliance during a routine investigation or in response to a complaint. They will verify the poster is the current version, is displayed in a conspicuous place accessible to all employees (e.g., a break room), and includes all required text. Non-compliance can trigger penalties, so ensuring this poster is correctly displayed is a basic step in federal labor law compliance.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 10 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
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