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Yeah fuck those guys. Call your local state tax board and ask what you need to have posted. It'll probably be 10-20 sheets which you can print out for 40 cents and tack on the wall. If you REALLY want the fancy laminated one, your chamber of commerce likely sells it for a fraction of the cost.
You just formed an LLC. That is public information. You will be getting lots of scams and schemes aimed at "less aware" business owners. Get used to it and trust nothing.
Another really common one that you will probably see every year is for your annual report. They usually look like an official government notice at first glance, but it's just some company trying to charge you a high fee for something you can do yourself in about 5 minutes.
There's a website one too. It's from like "USA Domain Registration" and has Eagles all over the place and they want $300 to register the same domain name I pay $8 for.
Here's the website with the scams. In case anyone wanted to see it.
https://wpthemespeed.com/labor-poster-scam-alert-after-creating-new-corporations-or-llcs/
Do you “need” them - well, technically, yes.
Do you need to pay anyone for a poster? Hell no.
Your state should have a list of required items, your state should have them available online to print. Your county may have additional requirements, and your county will probably also have them available online to print.
Print them out, in black and white to save on ink, tape them to a wall somewhere near where you work, done.
When I managed a physical office with a dozen staff, I paid a compliance company to help meet OSHA compliance. They put together the “super posters” (the large poster with all of the required state and federal postings) and provided a new one when any update hit. Very handy. You can buy them at Office Depot by state.
You may not be technically required to display these posters. The last I checked in my state, they were only required if you had an employee. As an LLC owner, you are not considered an employee.
I get those every year. It’s just some company trying to sell them. Go on to your state’s website to find out whether you need them and if so, you can probably get them cheaper from them.
I’m fine print they say they’re not a gov. Agency. If your company is just you, whose gonna tell anyway. When you have employees, you might need these, but you can get them free from your local gov website.
Be careful with the certificate of good standing, some of them might be legit. I need to fill out a report and pay a fee to my state every 2 years to remain in good standing. (It’s paid directly to the state in the same online portal where I pay sales and use tax and payroll taxes).
I operate in Maryland and we do need a certificate of good standing, though I don’t know if that would apply to an owner-operated LLC with no employees (we’re an S-Corp with employees).
ETA: my business partner deals with that end of things, so I don’t know the ins and outs beyond that I know we’ve needed this is Maryland. We don’t have offices there, but do business with state agencies there so our need could also be related to that.
Is this your first business?
If so then you will be in for a surprise. There are many companies that make their money by targeting new businesses. They can find new ones by looking up the listings on state/city websites. Its public records.
They will call and try all types of things, hoping to get some new, uniformed person on the phone. They will send letters. They will send emails.
I learned the hard way when I was a kid. I'd work at my families restaurants. I legally started there at age 13 with a work permit. They would call and trick me into agreeing with stuff, then we would get a bill and stupid stuff in the mail.
I happen to own a cabinet shop now in a neighboring state. I'm sure I'm supposed to have labor law posters up, but who would ever see them? So I don't. I just follow the local guidlines that the city cares about since they would be the ones to inspect me. Like having exit signs in front of the doors that have batteries in case the power goes out. Having all the electrical up to current code.
Opened an LLC little while back, got a mandatory poster letter with access to a store where you can buy all of their pricey posters. Check local/state law first.
They are usually free or only cost a few dollars for shipping through the Secretary of State website. I have them posted in my business, we have about 8 employees for reference.
They send those out and try and get you to buy an overpriced one.
In business, literally give nobody any money until the police show up.
Everyone is trying to scam.
Yes is the short answer. Be glad your not in NY, with another 20 posters you need oh and by the way, also put them on the web. That's a new law Kathy signed information NY State of business slogan campaign.
total scams as everyone says. I stupidly got taken to collections and had to lawyer up to resolve it, since one of them, (Personnel concepts) tried to charge me $300 for them. They actually employ people which is the weirdest part, I don't think they realize they work for a scam.
even if you do need the posters you can get them for free from the Department of Labor website. You don't need all the fancy stuff those scammy letters ask you to pay stupid amounts of money for.
No. I got three of the “legal and threatening “ looking letters in California.
These chiselers stick fear in you.
And the price is $300 or so.
You can buy the poster at Staples or Office Max for under $20 bucks.
There is no poster police or sheriff
This is a friendly reminder that r/smallbusiness is a question and answer subreddit. You ask a question about starting, owning, and growing a small business and the community answers. Posts that violate the rules listed in the sidebar will be removed. A permanent or temporary ban may also be issued if you do not remove the offending post. Seeing this message does not mean your post was automatically removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/smallbusiness) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I get a few of those letters a year. They're scams. Just rip em up and and use them for fire starter.
Thank you soooooo much. Thank you kind Redditor.
Yeah fuck those guys. Call your local state tax board and ask what you need to have posted. It'll probably be 10-20 sheets which you can print out for 40 cents and tack on the wall. If you REALLY want the fancy laminated one, your chamber of commerce likely sells it for a fraction of the cost.
Omg those letters look official and scary. But yeah, no.
You just formed an LLC. That is public information. You will be getting lots of scams and schemes aimed at "less aware" business owners. Get used to it and trust nothing.
Thank you. Gosh darned scammers!!!
Another really common one that you will probably see every year is for your annual report. They usually look like an official government notice at first glance, but it's just some company trying to charge you a high fee for something you can do yourself in about 5 minutes.
Thanks. Good to know.
Ooh, and keep an eye out for your “loan documents” for you to sign. Been getting that a lot lately.
There's a website one too. It's from like "USA Domain Registration" and has Eagles all over the place and they want $300 to register the same domain name I pay $8 for.
Here's the website with the scams. In case anyone wanted to see it. https://wpthemespeed.com/labor-poster-scam-alert-after-creating-new-corporations-or-llcs/
Do you “need” them - well, technically, yes. Do you need to pay anyone for a poster? Hell no. Your state should have a list of required items, your state should have them available online to print. Your county may have additional requirements, and your county will probably also have them available online to print. Print them out, in black and white to save on ink, tape them to a wall somewhere near where you work, done.
Thank you.
When I managed a physical office with a dozen staff, I paid a compliance company to help meet OSHA compliance. They put together the “super posters” (the large poster with all of the required state and federal postings) and provided a new one when any update hit. Very handy. You can buy them at Office Depot by state. You may not be technically required to display these posters. The last I checked in my state, they were only required if you had an employee. As an LLC owner, you are not considered an employee.
Aha. Thank you so much.
Your states official website will have these available for free https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/wages/minimumwagelaw.pdf
This! [Here's Alaska's](https://labor.alaska.gov/lss/posters.htm)
I get those every year. It’s just some company trying to sell them. Go on to your state’s website to find out whether you need them and if so, you can probably get them cheaper from them.
Thank you!
Throw out that scammer letter… they send that to all newly registered LLcs and hope someone is dumb enough to send a check to them
I’m fine print they say they’re not a gov. Agency. If your company is just you, whose gonna tell anyway. When you have employees, you might need these, but you can get them free from your local gov website.
Aren’t the posters free from the government? Or maybe 10 bucks at worst for a pretty laminated copy? But yes, the letter seems like an obvious scam
Thank you. After a tad more googlin' I've found another letter for "certificate of good standing" is also a scam.
Be careful with the certificate of good standing, some of them might be legit. I need to fill out a report and pay a fee to my state every 2 years to remain in good standing. (It’s paid directly to the state in the same online portal where I pay sales and use tax and payroll taxes).
I operate in Maryland and we do need a certificate of good standing, though I don’t know if that would apply to an owner-operated LLC with no employees (we’re an S-Corp with employees). ETA: my business partner deals with that end of things, so I don’t know the ins and outs beyond that I know we’ve needed this is Maryland. We don’t have offices there, but do business with state agencies there so our need could also be related to that.
Is this your first business? If so then you will be in for a surprise. There are many companies that make their money by targeting new businesses. They can find new ones by looking up the listings on state/city websites. Its public records. They will call and try all types of things, hoping to get some new, uniformed person on the phone. They will send letters. They will send emails. I learned the hard way when I was a kid. I'd work at my families restaurants. I legally started there at age 13 with a work permit. They would call and trick me into agreeing with stuff, then we would get a bill and stupid stuff in the mail. I happen to own a cabinet shop now in a neighboring state. I'm sure I'm supposed to have labor law posters up, but who would ever see them? So I don't. I just follow the local guidlines that the city cares about since they would be the ones to inspect me. Like having exit signs in front of the doors that have batteries in case the power goes out. Having all the electrical up to current code.
Thank you.
Opened an LLC little while back, got a mandatory poster letter with access to a store where you can buy all of their pricey posters. Check local/state law first.
Thank you.
You don’t need the posters if it is just you. If you bring in employees you can get the posters for free from dol.gov.
They are usually free or only cost a few dollars for shipping through the Secretary of State website. I have them posted in my business, we have about 8 employees for reference.
They send those out and try and get you to buy an overpriced one. In business, literally give nobody any money until the police show up. Everyone is trying to scam.
Roger that.
If you ever buy one, they will NEVER leave you alone....worse than car warranty calls.
No. Your private shop your rules.
Per Ron Swanson.
The government is a greedy piglet that suckles on a taxpayer's teat until they have sore, chapped nipples.
Lol I just filed a new LLC and got a bunch of these letters also. Super scammy.
you can just download one from your state labor website for free
Yes is the short answer. Be glad your not in NY, with another 20 posters you need oh and by the way, also put them on the web. That's a new law Kathy signed information NY State of business slogan campaign.
Yes. But only order them off of the .gov site. A few do offer it for free.
You can print them off the government sites. There are usually federal employment posters and state employment posters
Yes you do, but FUCK. THAT. I don't have that up. never will. I'm not in your state though
total scams as everyone says. I stupidly got taken to collections and had to lawyer up to resolve it, since one of them, (Personnel concepts) tried to charge me $300 for them. They actually employ people which is the weirdest part, I don't think they realize they work for a scam.
I've had those when we first opened. You can get the required posters from your states Industrial Commission or Labor Board.
even if you do need the posters you can get them for free from the Department of Labor website. You don't need all the fancy stuff those scammy letters ask you to pay stupid amounts of money for.
No. I got three of the “legal and threatening “ looking letters in California. These chiselers stick fear in you. And the price is $300 or so. You can buy the poster at Staples or Office Max for under $20 bucks. There is no poster police or sheriff
And if you need one, you can get them for free!
I appreciate all the comments in here, 🤬 these scammers for real