Right to Know Posting in Boston, Massachusetts (2026)
Without a Right to Know Posting displayed in your dining area, you risk health department citations and customer complaints about undisclosed allergens and food sourcing. Right to Know Posting—also called consumer disclosure posting or allergen notification—is required by Massachusetts state law and enforced by the Boston Public Health Commission. Key facts:
- 22 fields total — ApronPrep auto-fills 18
- $0 government filing fees — no state or local filing cost
- Varies by posting type and menu updates
Analyzed from Right to Know Posting
82% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Right to Know Posting
In Boston, Massachusetts, a Right to Know Posting is a mandatory workplace notice, legally required by several state statutes. The primary authority is the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General's Fair Labor Division, which enforces laws including the Minimum Wage Law (M.G.L. c. 151, §§ 1, 1A), Earned Sick Time Law (M.G.L. c. 149, § 148C), and the law governing tips and service charges (M.G.L. c. 149, § 152A). These statutes specifically mandate that employers post a detailed notice, often called the "Right to Know" poster, in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees. Additionally, employers covered by prevailing wage laws for public works projects (M.G.L. c. 149, §§ 26–27D) have separate posting requirements. Boston does not have a unique city ordinance for this posting; compliance with the state's requirements satisfies the city's mandate as well.
Failure to properly display the current, official Right to Know poster carries significant consequences. The Attorney General's office conducts workplace investigations and can assess penalties for non-compliance, even if no individual wage claim is filed. Practical consequences include:
- Civil Monetary Penalties: Fines per violation, which can escalate for repeat offenses or willful violations.
- Liability for Back Wages & Treble Damages: In wage theft cases (like minimum wage or overtime violations), courts can award employees three times the owed wages as liquidated damages under M.G.L. c. 149, § 150, and the lack of a proper posting can be used as evidence of a violation.
- Cease-and-Desist Orders & Injunctions: The AG can issue orders to halt unlawful pay practices and require corrective action.
- Contractual & Insurance Risk Many commercial leases and business insurance policies require compliance with all employment laws; violations can trigger breach clauses or complicate claims. For contractors, failure to post prevailing wage rates can lead to disqualification from public bids.
Legal code: State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
Recent update: In 2025, the Massachusetts Attorney General's office revised the official 'Right to Know' workplace poster to reflect updated Earned Sick Time provisions and a new minimum wage rate of $17.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2026.
Who Needs a Right to Know Posting?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required under Massachusetts Right-to-Know Law (M.G.L. c. 111F) and federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200, as employees may be exposed to cleaning chemicals, sanitizers, or kitchen fumes. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required; staff handling glass cleaners, disinfectants, draft line cleaners, or other hazardous chemicals must be informed of associated risks under M.G.L. c. 111F. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required; the confined workspace and use of cleaning agents, propane, or generator fumes create covered chemical exposures under OSHA 1910.1200. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required; use of commercial espresso machine cleaners, degreasers, and sanitizers triggers the Hazard Communication Standard for all non-exempt employees. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (22 Fields)
18 of 22 auto-filledBusiness Legal Name
textEnter the exact legal name of your business as it is registered with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth or your DBA ('Doing Business As') name on file with the city.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a trade name or nickname instead of the registered legal entity name, which will cause a rejection for misidentification.
Business Address
addressNumber of Employees
numberUses Commercial Cleaning Chemicals
booleanCleaning Chemicals Inventory
textUses Pest Control Chemicals
booleanPest Control Service/Products
textUses Cooking Fuels
booleanOther Hazardous Materials
textHas SDS Binder/File
booleanApronPrep auto-fills 18 of 22 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Right to Know Posting Mistakes
1. Using Outdated or Generic Poster Versions
Posting a generic 'Right to Know' sign or a version from before 2022 fails Boston's specific update requirements under the city's 'Know Your Rights as a Worker' ordinance. The poster must include current information on paid sick leave, minimum wage, and protections for immigrant workers. Using an old version can result in a violation notice during an inspection, requiring you to halt operations to obtain and post the correct version, which typically adds 1-2 weeks of compliance risk.
2. Incorrect Posting Location and Visibility
Tucking the poster in a back office, break room, or behind other notices violates the 'conspicuous place' requirement mandated by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office and Boston city code. It must be posted where employees routinely gather, such as near time clocks or main entrances, in an area well-lit and unobstructed. Failure here is the most common cause of fines during proactive inspections, as inspectors look for it immediately upon entry.
3. Missing Required Language or Translated Versions
Boston's poster has specific, mandated text blocks. Omitting any—like the notice of protection from retaliation or the contact information for the Office of Labor Standards—makes the posting non-compliant. For businesses with a significant number of non-English speaking workers, failing to also post the translated versions (especially Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Vietnamese as commonly required) can lead to escalated penalties. A missing element triggers a correction order, delaying your full compliance by 5-10 business days.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Right to Know Posting
ApronPrep auto-fills 18 of 22 fields from one compliance interview.
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Right to Know Posting by City in Massachusetts
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Boston |
Timeline: Varies
Gather Required Documentation
Collect proof of your restaurant's legal operating status: business license, food service license, and proof of workers' compensation insurance. You'll also need the names and contact information of at least one employee representative or union steward if your workplace is unionized. Have your restaurant's address, business structure (LLC, sole proprietor, etc.), and ownership details ready. Most delays occur when applicants don't have workers' comp documentation — verify your policy is active and current before proceeding.
Obtain Right to Know Posting Materials from Massachusetts
Download the official Right to Know poster from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards website or request a printed copy. The poster contains mandatory workplace safety and employee rights information required under Massachusetts General Laws c. 149, § 150. You can also contact the Boston area office of the Department of Labor Standards at 617-626-6946 to confirm you have the current version — regulatory language changes annually. Ensure you're using the 2026 version, as outdated postings can trigger enforcement notices.
Post the Posting at Your Restaurant
Display the Right to Know poster in a conspicuous, easily accessible location where all employees can view it — typically near the time clock, break room, or employee entrance. The posting must be in English and any other language spoken by 10% or more of your workforce (Boston has significant Spanish-speaking and Mandarin-speaking populations). Take a timestamped photograph of the posted notice showing the restaurant name and posting location visible in the frame. Document the date you posted it in your records.
Where to Apply
Applications go to the Massachusetts massachusetts department of labor standards. 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
Allergen Awareness Training Certificate
state
Annual Report Filing
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsTimeline varies depending on whether you're posting the notice yourself or requesting city verification; most restaurants display the posting immediately upon receipt of the required materials from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards, while official city confirmation may take 2–4 weeks per the Boston Public Health Commission's standard processing window. Contact the Boston Public Health Commission directly to confirm current processing times for your specific restaurant location.
There are no government filing fees charged by the City of Boston or the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards for displaying a right to know posting—this is a regulatory requirement with no associated cost. However, if you require professional assistance with compliance or signage production, those are separate vendor costs. Not legal advice — verify with the Boston Public Health Commission or Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards to confirm current fee schedules.
No—a right to know posting is specific to the physical address where your restaurant operates and cannot be transferred to a new location. If you relocate your restaurant, you must obtain new posting materials reflecting your new address and ensure they comply with all current Boston and Massachusetts regulations. Contact the Boston Public Health Commission to confirm posting requirements for your new location, and consider reviewing your Certificate of Occupancy and Building Permit to verify full compliance before reopening.
The right to know posting must remain displayed continuously at your restaurant and does not expire; however, you should verify the poster content annually to ensure it reflects any updates to Massachusetts labor law or Boston regulations per the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards website. If regulations change, you may need to obtain and display an updated poster—contact the Boston Public Health Commission to confirm whether an update is required for your restaurant.
City health and safety inspectors verify that the required right to know posting is displayed in a clearly visible location accessible to employees, typically checking during routine City Business License compliance reviews or health inspections. Failure to display the posting may result in a violation citation; contact the Boston Public Health Commission to understand the specific penalty framework and inspection process for your restaurant.
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 1 city (Boston), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 22 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
- Boston — Department of Labor / Labor Standards
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