Q. "Do churches need to post labor law posters?"
Answer:
Yes, like any U.S. employer, churches must comply with labor law posting requirements. Federal and state laws require businesses to display notices about workplace rights—such as wage and hour laws, employee protections, and non-discrimination policies—in a conspicuous location where employees can easily see them. However, these posters don’t always reflect the unique rules that apply to religious organizations—especially clergy.
For example, clergy are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and certain employment protections listed on Equal Employment Opportunity posters may not apply in the same way to religious employers. A church, for instance, can lawfully hire only candidates who align with its Statement of Faith, even though religion is typically a protected class.
Church Law & Tax presents some case studies that point to the need to post a disclaimer above or below labor law posters such as:
Note that the "official" posters do not address the unique status of ministers and churches. The rights listed here may vary depending on the circumstance.
You can get federal posters for free on the Department of Labor's website, but we prefer the simplicity of buying bundled state and federal posters off Amazon.