EEOC Releases Updated Poster

By Sally Weldin, Sr. Human Resource Specialist
Published November 1, 2022

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released an updated workplace poster in October. The new Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal poster replaces the Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law poster, released in November 2009. 

The EEOC released the updated poster October 19, 2022, and then updated it again on October 20, 2022. Employers should utilize the poster with a revision date of 10/20/2022.

The new poster includes these changes: 

• Uses straightforward language and formatting to convey non-discrimination coverage and protections. 
• Notes that harassment is a prohibited form of discrimination. 
• Clarifies that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• Adds a QR code for fast digital access to the “how to file a charge” webpage.
• Provides information about equal pay discrimination for federal contractors.
• References non-discrimination protections under Affirmative Action regulations for federal contractors and subcontractors that are enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

The EEOC enforces several federal non-discrimination laws. The updated poster summarizes these laws and communicates that employees or applicants can file a charge if they believe that they have experienced discrimination based on:

• Race, color, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, religion.
• Age (40 and older).
• Equal pay.
• Disability.
• Genetic information (including family medical history or genetic tests or services). 
• Retaliation for filing a charge, reasonably opposing discrimination, or participating in a discrimination lawsuit, investigation, or proceeding.

The poster should be accessible to applicants and employees with disabilities. Employers are encouraged to post this notice digitally on their websites, and employers with specific work locations should post the updated poster physically at their worksites. Employers may make the poster available electronically in limited circumstances where employers do not have a physical location or for employees who telework or work remotely and do not visit the employer's workplace on a regular basis. The poster is also available in Spanish and will soon become available in other languages. 

Members can order the new poster through HR Source’s poster compliance partner GovDocs and receive a discount using the promo code gn-hrsource.