Immigration Rights Poster: What Employers Must Post, Where to Display It, and How to Stay Compliant

If you’re searching for an immigration rights poster (sometimes referred to as a right to work poster or “if you have the right to work poster”), you’re likely trying to confirm two things: what notice is required and how to display it correctly for applicants and employees—especially in a workplace with multilingual staff, multiple locations, or remote workers. This guide explains the key poster(s) tied to work authorization and anti-discrimination rules, where they apply, and practical steps HR teams can take to reduce risk.

For broader guidance on compliant digital distribution and remote access, see SwiftSDS’s overview of electronic posters.

What is an “immigration rights poster” (and which one do you actually need)?

In HR conversations, “immigration posters” can mean a few different notices. The most common U.S. workplace posting tied to immigration-related rights is the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) notice:

IER “Right to Work” poster (anti-discrimination notice connected to work authorization and Form I‑9 practices)

This poster educates workers about protections against:

Citizenship or immigration status discrimination
National origin discrimination (in certain cases)
Unfair documentary practices during Form I‑9 verification
Retaliation for asserting rights

These protections arise primarily under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b, enforced by DOJ IER.

“Right to work poster” vs. “right-to-work” (union) laws

A frequent compliance mistake: “Right to work” in the immigration sense (IER poster) is not the same as right-to-work state laws about union membership. If your goal is I‑9 / work authorization compliance and anti-discrimination messaging, you’re looking for the IER Right to Work notice.

When is the IER Right to Work poster required?

Whether the IER notice is mandatory can depend on your participation in specific programs or how your organization is structured, but many employers post it as a best practice because it supports lawful hiring and helps demonstrate good-faith compliance.

Also remember: even when a specific immigration rights poster isn’t expressly mandatory for every employer in every scenario, anti-discrimination and wage/hour postings often are—and those often intersect with immigrant worker protections (language access, retaliation prevention, etc.).

For a checklist view of what applies nationally, start with Federal (United States) Posting Requirements.

Where and how to display immigration rights posters (physical + digital)

Physical posting best practices

For on-site workplaces, the safest approach is to display immigration-related notices where employees and applicants will actually see them, such as:

Near HR offices where onboarding occurs
In break rooms or common areas used by applicants/employees
Close to other required employment law posters

You should also ensure the posted version is:

The current version (agencies update formatting and contact details)
Available in the languages your workforce needs (when provided by the agency)
Not obstructed and readable

Digital posting for remote and hybrid workforces

If you have remote employees, consider digital access as a practical necessity—even where physical posting is traditional. Digital posting usually works best when it’s:

Easy to access without special permissions
Always available (not buried in an onboarding packet that disappears)
Paired with a distribution method (email/HRIS acknowledgement) when appropriate

SwiftSDS provides guidance and examples of compliant setups in electronic poster examples.

Compliance connections: immigration rights + I‑9 rules + anti-discrimination

An “immigration rights poster” is only one piece of a broader compliance picture. HR teams should align posting with these operational rules:

Form I‑9 verification (IRCA) and document abuse prevention

Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), employers must verify work authorization using Form I‑9. The IER Right to Work notice is closely connected to avoiding:

Asking for more or different documents than required
Rejecting acceptable documents
Specifying which documents an employee must present
Treating workers differently due to accent, appearance, or perceived origin

A poster won’t fix a broken process—so pair it with recruiter and hiring manager training.

Anti-discrimination postings and civil rights overlap

Immigration-related discrimination risks often overlap with protected categories and retaliation rules. If you’re building a complete, employee-facing compliance wall (or digital hub), you’ll typically pair immigration rights messaging with civil rights notices.

For a broader poster set discussion, review Civil rights posters.

Actionable employer checklist (SwiftSDS-style)

Use this as a practical audit workflow for HR or operations:

1) Confirm which jurisdictions apply (federal + state + local)

Multi-state employers should map posters by work location, not HQ. Start with the federal baseline at Federal (United States) Posting Requirements, then add state-specific requirements.

If you employ in high-regulation states, review:

2) Post core federal wage/hour notices alongside immigration-related notices

Even if your main goal is an immigration rights poster, don’t overlook core federal posting requirements frequently audited during disputes. For example, many employers must post the U.S. Department of Labor wage/hour notice:

Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (English)
Derechos de los Trabajadores Bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo (FLSA) (Spanish)

These matter because immigrant workers are protected by wage and hour laws regardless of status in many enforcement contexts, and retaliation issues often arise in parallel.

3) Add accessibility and visibility controls (especially for digital posters)

If you post digitally, verify:

Posters are reachable within 1–2 clicks from the HR portal homepage
Remote workers can access without being on the company network/VPN (if feasible)
Mobile-friendly viewing is available
You keep a simple version-control log (poster name + revision date + date uploaded)

To support inclusive access, consider the principles discussed in SwiftSDS’s ada poster resource, especially if you maintain a digital poster library.

4) Avoid “poster scams” and inaccurate bundles

HR teams searching for “immigration posters” are often targeted by third-party solicitations implying urgent legal requirements. Train admins to verify sources and cross-check requirements internally before purchasing.

SwiftSDS tracks common red flags in business posting department scam.

Location-specific nuance: “right to work” messaging and state requirements

The IER “Right to Work” notice is federal and focuses on immigration-related employment discrimination. Separately, some states use “right-to-work” terminology in labor relations contexts. To avoid mismatched postings:

Anchor your poster list to the state posting page for each worksite (not to a vendor checklist)
Validate whether state agencies require additional language or industry-specific notices

For example, California employers often have additional workplace posting obligations beyond the federal baseline—see California (CA) Posting Requirements for a location-driven starting point.

FAQ: Immigration rights posters for employers

Do all employers need to post the IER “Right to Work” poster?

Not every employer is explicitly required in every scenario, but many employers post it as a strong compliance practice because it supports lawful hiring and helps prevent discriminatory I‑9 practices under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b. Your required postings list should still be built from your jurisdictional requirements—start at Federal (United States) Posting Requirements.

Is the “if you have the right to work poster” the same as a union right-to-work notice?

No. The immigration-focused “Right to Work” notice relates to work authorization discrimination and I‑9 document practices enforced by DOJ IER. State “right-to-work” laws generally address union-security agreements and are a different topic.

Can we satisfy posting requirements by emailing PDFs to employees?

Email can be a helpful supplement, but it may not always replace a required workplace posting. A safer approach is maintaining a stable digital poster location (HR portal/employee app) and using email as a distribution method—see electronic posters for practical digital posting models.

Next steps for SwiftSDS customers

Treat your immigration rights poster as part of a complete, auditable posting program: confirm jurisdictions, publish current versions, support remote access, and align onboarding practices with non-discrimination rules. If you’re updating your broader digital poster set, SwiftSDS’s hub on electronic posters and its related compliance topics (including Civil rights posters) can help you build a poster library that’s consistent across locations and easy for employees to access year-round.