AUGUSTA – The attorney general is taking aim at a Michigan company that is peddling labor law posters to Maine businesses, hoping to get people to pay for a product that is available free from the government.
Attorney General Steve Rowe filed a lawsuit in Kennebec Superior Court on Wednesday to stop the Mandatory Poster Agency from using allegedly deceptive sales tactics to sell posters detailing state and federal labor laws.
The company, doing business as the Maine Labor Law Poster Service, sends mailings to businesses across the state in official looking envelopes with an Augusta return address. It offers packages of four labor law posters for $54.50, plus shipping and handling.
“The (solicitation) uses language like compliance’ and civil penalties’ in bold print,” said Carolyn Silsby, an assistant attorney general. She said the materials are designed to look like they’re from a government agency in Augusta that requires businesses to purchase a poster to comply with the law.
Maine employers are required to display notices of labor laws in their workplaces. The notices are available for free from the state Department of Labor.
Silsby said the AG’s Office has received between 10 and 15 complaints from businesses that were solicited.
“We think that’s the tip of the iceberg,” said Silsby. “Many more businesses were solicited who haven’t complained.”
Mandatory Poster Agency has been sued in West Virginia and Louisiana on similar charges. A call seeking comment from one of the principals of Mandatory Poster Agency wasn’t returned by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
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