Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster in Aurora, Colorado (2026)
Your business can face a Department of Labor investigation and civil penalties if you fail to display the federally required Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster, which is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. Key facts:
- 12 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 10
- $0–$0 government filing fees
- Varies — immediate display is required upon posting a new or updated version
Analyzed from Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
83% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
You are required to display the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) poster in Aurora, Colorado, because it is a mandated federal labor law posting. This specific poster informs your employees of their rights under the EPPA, a federal law (29 U.S.C. §§ 2001-2009) administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where it can be seen by employees and applicants for employment. While Aurora itself has no additional local ordinance mandating this poster, the federal requirement applies uniformly to all covered employers operating in the city. Failure to post it triggers compliance inspections and penalties.
An absent or outdated poster puts your business at immediate financial and operational risk. Common penalties include:
- Civil money penalties for willful violations, with amounts set by the DOL that can be assessed per violation.
- Increased liability during DOL investigations, as failure to post can be cited as evidence of non-compliance with other labor standards, potentially triggering audits for wage, hour, or safety violations.
- Compliance orders and cease-and-desist directives from federal inspectors, which can delay operations and require immediate corrective action.
- Insurance and lease complications, as proof of labor law compliance is often required for commercial liability insurance and may be reviewed during lease renewals or property inspections.
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
Recent update: In 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor updated several required workplace posters; verify that your displayed EPPA poster includes the current revision date to ensure compliance.
Who Needs a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required as it employs workers and is subject to the federal EPPA, which applies to most private employers engaged in interstate commerce. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required; alcohol sales and service involve interstate commerce, making the business subject to the EPPA's posting rules. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required; the mobile operation is still a private employer covered by the EPPA and must display the poster at its base of operations or where employees report. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required for any location with employees, as it qualifies as a private employer under the federal law. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (12 Fields)
10 of 12 auto-filledBusiness Has Employees
booleanAnswer 'Yes' if your business has any paid employees; answer 'No' only if you are a sole proprietor with no employees, as only businesses with employees are subject to this federal posting requirement.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have part-time or temporary employees, which can lead to non-compliance and potential fines, as any paid worker constitutes an employee under EPPA rules.
Number of Employees
numberEnter the total number of current employees across all locations; this figure determines the number of required posters (one per primary workplace) and is used for verification purposes.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an incorrect or outdated headcount, such as using a pre-opening projection instead of current hires, which can create audit discrepancies for compliance officers.
Primary Workplace Address
addressEnter the exact physical address where the majority of your employees report for work; this is the primary location where the federal EPPA poster must be displayed.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a P.O. Box, corporate HQ address (if different from the work site), or an incomplete suite/unit number, which can cause issues if the Department of Labor (DOL) requests a verification inspection.
Has Multiple Work Locations
booleanAnswer 'Yes' if employees work at more than one physical site (e.g., a central kitchen and a separate front-of-house); a poster is required in each distinct, primary workplace under 29 CFR § 825.300.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' while operating separate locations like food trucks or catering kitchens, which violates the 'each workplace' rule and exposes you to fines per location.
Poster Display Location Description
textDescribe the exact, conspicuous spot where you will post the notice (e.g., 'Break room bulletin board next to time clock' or 'Employee entrance hallway'); it must be where employees can readily see it.
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a vague description like 'in the back' or a location not frequented by all staff (e.g., the manager's office), which fails the 'conspicuous place' requirement and is a top audit trigger.
Currently Has EPPA Poster Displayed
booleanAnswer 'Yes' only if you have a valid, up-to-date (2026 or later) EPPA poster physically posted in your workplace; 'No' indicates immediate action is required to avoid non-compliance.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' while displaying an outdated poster from a prior year, which is a common violation as the DOL updates poster language and design periodically.
Current Poster Is Official DOL Version
booleanConfirm that your displayed poster is the official 2026 version from the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division website; unofficial or generic templates do not satisfy the legal requirement.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming a poster purchased from a third-party office supply store is compliant; many are outdated or lack the specific regulatory text required by 29 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.
Poster Download Date
dateEnter the date you downloaded the official 2026 EPPA poster PDF from the DOL website; this serves as proof of timely acquisition in case of a compliance audit.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a future date or the date you printed it, rather than the actual download date from the DOL source, which can create inconsistencies in your compliance record.
Poster Display Date
dateEnter the date you physically posted the notice in your workplace; this must be on or after your download date and is a critical record for establishing continuous compliance.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank or entering a date before the download date, which creates an impossible timeline and can invalidate your compliance documentation during an audit.
Confirms Understanding of Display Requirements
booleanAcknowledge that you understand the poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can easily see it, and that failure to do so is a violation of federal law.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting this confirmation without ensuring the poster is actually posted, which misrepresents your compliance status and can increase liability if a DOL inspection occurs.
ApronPrep auto-fills 10 of 12 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster Mistakes
1. Displaying an Outdated or Incorrect Poster Version
Posting an old version or one that omits the required U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) contact information. The poster must include the current Wage and Hour Division contact details for filing complaints. An outdated poster fails to inform employees of their rights, which the DOL considers a violation of the EPPA during an inspection. This can trigger corrective actions and potential penalties. Use the official, current poster directly from the DOL website or a verified compliance provider to ensure all information is correct.
2. Posting in an Inaccessible or Non-Prominent Location
Placing the poster in a back office, break room, or any area not frequented by all employees. The law requires it to be posted where employees and applicants can readily see it, such as near time clocks or on a main employee bulletin board. Hiding it in a manager's office or a low-traffic hallway defeats the purpose of employee notification. Burying the poster is a common oversight that can be cited as a violation even if the correct poster is physically on site.
3. Failing to Post for All Employee Groups
Only posting in the main kitchen or dining area but not in other locations where employees work, like a separate administrative office, bakery, or off-site catering facility. All workplaces under the same employer must display the poster. If your restaurant has multiple distinct work sites (e.g., a separate corporate office or a prep kitchen in another building), each location needs its own prominently displayed poster. This mistake leaves segments of your workforce uninformed of their rights.
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Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster by City in Colorado
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | ||
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Timeline: 0–2 Days (Preparation & Display)
Obtain the Official Poster
Download the current EPPA poster from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division website or order a printed copy. The poster is free and contains the latest text required by federal law (29 CFR Part 801). Ensure you have access to a printer (for downloading) or a mailing address (for ordering). Using an outdated or unofficial poster version is a common violation.
Review Poster Content & Requirements
Verify the poster includes all mandatory clauses summarizing employee rights under the EPPA, which prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests. Confirm the required information for your Aurora, CO location, such as the Wage and Hour Division contact details. You do not need to submit this poster to any agency for approval—it is your responsibility to display the correct version.
Post in a Conspicuous Location
Display the poster prominently where your Aurora employees can easily see it, such as a break room, near time clocks, or on a bulletin board dedicated to employment notices. It must be posted alongside other required federal and Colorado workplace posters (like the minimum wage and OSHA notices). Failure to post can result in penalties from the DOL, even without a formal complaint.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Corporation)
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe timeline to obtain and post an EPPA notice is immediate, as it is a federal requirement to be posted upon hiring. There is no application or approval process with any Aurora or Colorado agency; you must download and display the official poster from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL provides the required poster for free on its website, so you can post it the same day.
The official government filing fee for the federal EPPA poster is $0. You are required to obtain and display the notice without any cost from the U.S. Department of Labor. However, a failure to post it can result in civil penalties assessed by the DOL. Not legal advice — verify current requirements with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Yes, the federal EPPA poster itself is not location-specific and can be moved to a new business address. The requirement is simply to display the notice where employees can see it. When you move, you should ensure it is posted in a conspicuous area at the new location, similar to other mandatory workplace posters like the Colorado COMPS Order Poster.
There is no formal renewal for the EPPA poster; you must ensure it is continuously displayed. You should check the U.S. Department of Labor website periodically for updated versions of the poster if the law changes. This is similar to other ongoing posting requirements, such as those for your Colorado Employer Registration for Unemployment Insurance.
There is no scheduled local inspection specifically for the EPPA poster. Compliance is typically checked during a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, which can be triggered by a complaint or a routine audit. An investigator will visit your premises to verify that all required federal and state workplace notices, including the EPPA poster, are properly posted in a visible location for employees.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 12 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
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