Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster in Springfield, Massachusetts (2026)
Your restaurant is vulnerable to wage-and-hour investigations and employee disputes without the official Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster, a required labor law notice from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. This state-mandated workplace poster, also known as the "Wage and Hour Law Poster," must be displayed in a conspicuous location for all employees. Key facts:
- 14 fields to configure your specific poster — ApronPrep auto-fills 12.
- $0–$0 government filing fee for the poster itself.
- Varies processing time, but the poster file is available for download immediately upon proper completion.
Analyzed from Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster
86% from one compliance interview
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Why You Need a Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster
In Springfield, you are legally required to post the Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous workplace area by order of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Fair Labor Division. This single document consolidates mandatory notifications under several key statutes: the Massachusetts Minimum Wage Law (M.G.L. c. 151, § 1), the Earned Sick Time Law (M.G.L. c. 149, § 148C), and relevant provisions for tipped employees and prevailing wage jobs. The posting requirement is a core compliance duty for all employers, enforced at the state level, meaning Springfield businesses must adhere to the Commonwealth's standards regardless of any local city ordinances. Failing to display the correct, current poster is a violation of workplace poster statutes, which triggers enforcement action.
Operating without the mandatory poster puts your restaurant at immediate risk for penalties during a routine inspection or employee complaint investigation. The consequences are financial and operational:
- Civil Penalties: The Attorney General can impose fines for each violation. For willful violations of wage laws, penalties can be severe and are assessed per employee.
- Back Wage & Damage Liability: Non-posting can support employee claims for wage violations. If a wage claim succeeds, you may owe back wages plus treble damages (triple the owed amount) and attorney's fees under M.G.L. c. 149, § 150.
- Cease-and-Desist Orders: The state can issue compliance orders demanding immediate posting. Persistent non-compliance can lead to escalated enforcement, including lawsuits.
- Insurance and Lease Issues: A formal violation or lawsuit can complicate liability insurance renewals and may violate 'good standing' clauses in commercial leases.
Legal code: State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
Recent update: The poster was updated effective January 1, 2026, to reflect the state's scheduled minimum wage increase to $17.00 per hour; using an outdated 2025 or earlier version is a compliance violation.
Who Needs a Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Any business with one or more employees in Massachusetts is required to post the Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster, per Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 149, § 1. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if the establishment employs any staff, as they are covered under the state wage and hour laws, including tipped employees who must be notified of their rights. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required at the primary business location or a central posting point if the truck is based in Massachusetts and has employees, as mandated by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Any retail food establishment with employees must display the poster to comply with the Massachusetts Minimum Fair Wage Law. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (14 Fields)
12 of 14 auto-filledBusiness Legal Name
textEnter the exact legal name of your business as it is registered with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth or the IRS.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a DBA ('Doing Business As') name instead of the formal legal entity name (e.g., entering 'Joe's Diner' instead of 'Springfield Food Group LLC').
Massachusetts Workplace Address
addressProvide the full street address of your restaurant or facility in Massachusetts where employees work and where the poster must be displayed.
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a P.O. Box, a corporate headquarters address in another state, or an incomplete address missing the ZIP code.
Has Employees in Massachusetts
booleanSelect 'Yes' if you have any employees working at your Massachusetts address, including full-time, part-time, and temporary staff; the poster requirement is triggered by having even one employee.
COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly selecting 'No' if you have payroll employees, which is a direct violation of M.G.L. c. 151, § 2.
Number of Employees
numberEnter the total number of individuals employed at the Massachusetts address listed, which helps the Attorney General's Office assess compliance scope.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving the field blank or entering '0' when you have employees, which creates an inconsistency with the 'Has Employees' field.
Currently Has Poster Displayed
booleanSelect 'Yes' only if the official 2026 Massachusetts Minimum Wage poster is already physically posted in your workplace in a common area.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' prematurely before the poster is actually acquired and displayed, which constitutes a false attestation.
Downloaded Official Poster from mass.gov/ago
booleanConfirm you have downloaded the current-year poster PDF directly from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office website to ensure it contains the correct rates.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using an outdated poster from a previous year or a poster from a third-party website that may not have the official, updated information.
Additional Language Versions Needed
selectSelect any additional official translations (e.g., Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese) provided by the AG's office that are needed if a significant portion of your workforce does not speak English.
COMMON MISTAKE: Failing to obtain and post translated versions when required, which can lead to non-compliance for non-English speaking employees.
Poster Printed Clearly and Legibly
booleanAttest that the downloaded poster has been printed on standard letter-sized paper (8.5" x 11") with clear, readable text and no cut-off edges.
COMMON MISTAKE: Printing the poster in a reduced size, in low ink/grayscale making it hard to read, or on damaged paper.
Location Where Poster is Posted
textDescribe the specific, permanent location where the poster is displayed (e.g., 'Break room bulletin board next to time clock,' 'Employee entrance hallway').
COMMON MISTAKE: Vague descriptions like 'in the office' or listing a location not accessible to all employees, such as a manager's private office.
Poster Visible to All Employees
booleanConfirm the posted location is in a common area free of obstructions and accessible to all employees during normal work hours.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' when the poster is placed in a low-traffic, locked, or remote area employees do not regularly frequent.
ApronPrep auto-fills 12 of 14 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster Mistakes
1. Posting an Outdated Wage Rate
Displaying the 2025 or earlier minimum wage rate ($16.75) instead of the current 2026 rate ($17.00 per hour). The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office can issue a written warning or citation for this violation. Always download the official poster from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Labor Division website after January 1st of each year to ensure you have the latest version.
2. Displaying Only the Federal Poster
Relying solely on the federal Department of Labor poster, which does not include Massachusetts-specific rates, paid sick leave, and other state laws. State law requires the specific Massachusetts poster to be displayed. You must have both the federal and the official state poster posted side-by-side in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees.
3. Inaccessible or Poor Placement
Placing the poster in a back office, break room, or other area not frequently visited by all employees. The law requires posting in a 'conspicuous place' where employees can readily see it. In Springfield, inspectors typically look for the poster in common areas like near time clocks, in the kitchen, or by employee entrances—avoid placing it behind doors or in manager-only spaces.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster
ApronPrep auto-fills 12 of 14 fields from one compliance interview.
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Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster by City in Massachusetts
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | ||
| Springfield | ||
| Worcester |
Timeline: Varies
Gather Required Business Information
Collect your business's legal name (as filed with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth), Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN or EIN), and the exact business address for the Springfield location. You'll need the employer's physical street address, not a P.O. Box, for the poster. Have your Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) withholding account number ready if applicable.
Download or Order the Official Poster from Mass.gov
Obtain the mandatory 'Massachusetts Minimum Wage and Overtime Law' (Form MW-1000-MRC) poster. The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office provides a free downloadable PDF in English on their website's Workplace Rights section. For printed copies in English, Spanish, or other languages, you can order them directly from the AG's office via their online request form or by calling the Fair Labor Division; there is no government filing fee for the poster itself, but there may be a shipping charge for physical orders.
Post in a Conspicuous Location Before Opening
Print the downloaded poster on durable paper (minimum 11x17 inches, in color as specified) and display it in a prominent area accessible to all employees, such as a common break room, kitchen, or near time clocks. For Springfield restaurants, this is required by the Massachusetts Wage Act (M.G.L. c. 149, § 120) before your first employee begins work. Failure to post can result in penalties, including fines up to $10,000 for willful violations.
Where to Apply
Applications go to the Massachusetts department of labor. Local procedures and fees may vary — select your city below.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Massachusetts.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Alcoholic Beverages Local Retail License
local
Allergen Awareness Training Certificate
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe timeline varies, as the Massachusetts Minimum Wage Poster is a required display, not a permit you 'get' from the city. Downloading and printing the current poster from the Massachusetts Attorney General's website takes minutes. For Springfield businesses, posting it is often verified during other city inspections, such as the one for your Certificate of Inspection (CI).
The government filing fee for the official poster is $0–$0. The Massachusetts Attorney General provides the poster free of charge, per their public compliance materials. However, you may incur costs for printing and laminating the poster to meet durability requirements for display.
No, you do not transfer a poster. Each business location in Springfield must display its own current, compliant poster. If you move your business, you need a new poster for the new address, just as you would need to file for a new local Business Certificate (DBA Registration) at that address.
You renew the poster whenever the state updates the required information, such as wage rates or contact details. There is no fixed annual renewal; you must replace the poster whenever a new version is published by the Attorney General's office. Contact the office directly to confirm if the current year's poster has changed.
A city or state inspector will check that the most recent official poster is visibly displayed where employees can easily read it, typically in a break room or common area. They verify the poster is not defaced, outdated, or covered. Failure to display the correct poster can result in fines under Massachusetts wage and hour laws.
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 Massachusetts specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Boston, Springfield, Worcester), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 14 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
- State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
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