Business Posting Department Scam: How to Spot It, What’s Legit, and How to Stay Compliant
If you received a Business Posting Department letter, a Business Compliance Division letter, or something labeled United Business Regulation or United States Business Regulations Department, you’re probably trying to answer two urgent questions: Is this legitimate, and do I actually need to pay? This guide explains the most common signs of a business posting department scam, what real labor law posting obligations look like, and the safest steps HR teams and business owners can take to stay compliant—without overpaying or falling for misleading mailers.
What is the “Business Posting Department” and why are businesses getting these letters?
Many businesses report receiving official-looking notices with names like:
- “Business Posting Department”
- “United Business Regulation”
- “United States Business Regulations Department letter”
- “Business Compliance Division” or “Compliance Division Solutions”
- “Business Posting Department NY letter”
- “United States Business Regulations Department Form 4022”
These mailers often claim you must “immediately” purchase workplace posters, order a compliance kit, or return a form with payment to avoid penalties.
Is the business posting department legit?
In most cases, these letters are not from a government agency—they are typically from private companies marketing compliance products using names that sound governmental. That doesn’t automatically make every offer illegal, but the marketing can be misleading, and the pricing is often far higher than necessary.
If you’re evaluating whether a business posting department notice is legitimate, focus on verifiable agency identification (more on that below), and remember: many required posters are available free from federal/state agencies.
Why these “compliance” letters can be misleading (and sometimes scam-adjacent)
A typical business posting department letter uses pressure tactics:
- Urgent deadlines and language like “FINAL NOTICE”
- References to penalties without citing the specific statute/regulation
- “Form” numbers (e.g., united states business regulations department form 4022) that don’t match known federal or state poster forms
- Fine print disclosing they are not a government agency (often buried)
They may also imply you are noncompliant just because you didn’t buy their product—even though compliance depends on posting the correct notices, not buying from a specific vendor.
What the law actually requires: labor law posting basics (federal + state)
Labor law posting requirements are real. The risk is not the mailer—it’s failing to post required notices where employees can see them (or making them accessible for remote workers, when applicable).
Key federal posting obligations (examples)
Depending on your workforce and industry, federal agencies require specific postings. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division requires employers covered by the FLSA to post an official minimum wage/rights notice. See the federal notice: Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
For Spanish-language support, many employers also provide: Derechos de los Trabajadores Bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo (FLSA).
State and local requirements can be even more extensive
States often add wage orders, anti-discrimination notices, paid leave notices, unemployment insurance, workers’ comp, and safety postings. Massachusetts, for example, includes multiple required workplace notices such as Massachusetts Wage & Hour Laws and Fair Employment in Massachusetts.
Digital posting and remote employees
If you have remote or hybrid staff, you may need to provide notices electronically in a way employees can easily access. SwiftSDS covers how this works on the Electronic posters page, which explains how digital labor law posters support multi-site and remote compliance.
How to tell a business posting department scam letter from a legitimate agency notice
Use this checklist before paying anything.
1) Confirm the sender is a real agency (and not just a name that sounds official)
Legitimate notices typically reference a known agency like:
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- OSHA (or state-plan OSHA)
- State labor departments (varies by state)
A private sender may use terms like “department,” “division,” or “regulations,” but that doesn’t make it governmental. If the letter avoids clear agency identification, that’s a red flag.
2) Look for a clear legal citation tied to your actual obligation
Real compliance requirements can be traced to statutes and agency guidance. Scam-like letters often cite penalties vaguely without telling you which posting you’re missing and why you’re covered.
A legitimate compliance need would sound like: “Employers covered by the FLSA must post WH1088” (example), and then provide agency sourcing—like the DOL FLSA poster linked above.
3) Don’t be pressured by “NY letter” targeting or industry-specific fear
A business posting department NY letter may imply New York-specific enforcement. New York does have robust posting rules, but enforcement communications generally come through recognizable state agencies—not generic “departments” with payment remittance slips.
4) Check for disclaimers that they are not a government agency
Many mailers include a disclaimer such as: “This is not a government document” or “Not affiliated with any government agency.” If you find that language, treat it as an advertisement—not a citation.
What to do if you received a “United Business Regulation” or “Compliance Division Solutions” letter
Step 1: Do not pay immediately; preserve the document
Scan the letter and keep the envelope. If it later becomes relevant (e.g., vendor dispute), you’ll want the exact wording.
Step 2: Audit your required postings (based on jurisdiction + workforce)
Make a list based on:
- Work locations (state/city)
- Employee count
- Industry (e.g., agriculture has different federal postings—see Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act - Agriculture)
- Public vs private workforce (some posters differ for public employers—see Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act - State and Local Government)
If you’re building a modern compliance program, SwiftSDS also maps posting requirements into a digital workflow—see Hr compliance companies for HR compliance tools and services.
Step 3: Source posters from official agencies or a reputable compliance provider
Many posters are free as PDFs directly from agencies, but you still need a system to:
- ensure the correct version
- track updates
- provide remote access
- cover multiple states
If your workforce needs ADA-related accessibility considerations, review SwiftSDS’s guidance on the ada poster and how to display compliant notices accessibly.
Step 4: Train mailroom/AP staff to route “compliance” mailers to HR/legal
These letters succeed when they reach someone who can cut a check quickly. Create a simple internal rule: all “labor law poster” invoices must be reviewed by HR/compliance first.
Staying compliant without getting exploited: practical best practices
Centralize postings by location and format (physical + digital)
Use one source of truth for each site’s required notices and whether they’re posted physically, digitally, or both. SwiftSDS’s Advertising posters guide also covers practical display tips that help employees actually see and access required information.
Document your poster compliance
Maintain:
- A checklist by jurisdiction
- Posting dates and versions
- Links/PDF copies (especially for digital distribution)
- Photos of posted physical boards (periodic)
For California employers: don’t confuse job posting rules with labor law posting rules
Some mailers blur compliance categories. Job posting requirements are a separate issue from labor law posters. If your team is managing California-specific hiring compliance, see are employers required to post job openings california and SwiftSDS’s cal poster resource for state posting needs.
FAQ: Business Posting Department letters and “United States Business Regulations Department” notices
Is a Business Posting Department letter a real government notice?
Usually, no. Many “business posting department” letters are marketing materials from private vendors that may look official. Verify the sender, look for a clear agency identity, and confirm requirements through federal/state labor agencies or a trusted compliance provider.
What is “United States Business Regulations Department Form 4022”?
Employers frequently report “form” numbers that do not correspond to standard federal labor law poster forms. Treat it as a red flag and validate obligations through recognized agencies (e.g., DOL, OSHA, EEOC) and your state labor department.
If I ignore the letter, can I still be fined?
You can be penalized for failing to post required notices, but not for refusing to buy from a specific vendor. Focus on conducting a posting audit and ensuring required notices like the Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act are properly displayed and accessible.
If you want a safer path than reacting to alarming mailers, start by standardizing how you distribute and track postings across locations and remote teams. SwiftSDS’s Electronic posters hub is a good next step for building a poster compliance system that’s audit-ready without the “urgent notice” upsell pressure.