The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) just released an updated ‘Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal’ poster, which supersedes its earlier ‘EEOC is the Law’ poster.  The poster summarizes the laws prohibiting job discrimination and explains how employees and job applicants can file a charge with the EEOC if they believe they have experienced discrimination. The updated ‘Know Your Rights’ poster uses plain language and formatting that is easier for employees and employers to follow, and contains the following substantive changes:

• States 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 digital access to information about filing a charge of discrimination; and
• States information about equal pay discrimination for federal contractors.

The ‘Know Your Rights’ poster is available in English and Spanish versions. Covered employers are required to display the poster in a conspicuous location in the workplace and are also encouraged to post the poster digitally on their website, particularly for employees who work remotely or do not regularly visit the employer’s workplace. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are also required to display the poster in an area that is accessible to applicants and employees with disabilities that limit mobility.

The EEOC has not yet provided a deadline for when employers must display the new poster. Employers should nonetheless stay in compliance with any new posting requirements released by the EEOC.