Your restaurant faces civil penalties of up to $27,653 per violation from the U.S. Department of Labor for failing to display the federally required Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster, also known as the workplace lie detector test rights notice. This federal mandate is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for all Jacksonville employers. Key facts:
Analyzed from Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
83% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
The federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) poster is mandated by the U.S. Department of Labor under 29 U.S.C. § 2001 and implementing regulations in 29 CFR Part 801. While it is a federal requirement, it applies to all employers in Jacksonville, Florida, as it governs interstate commerce. The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can readily see it, informing them of their rights concerning lie detector tests. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) enforces this requirement alongside other federal workplace posters like those for the FLSA, FMLA, Davis-Bacon Act, and Service Contract Act. Failure to post is considered a direct violation of federal labor law.
Not displaying the required poster triggers immediate compliance risks. Based on ApronPrep's analysis of WHD enforcement actions, the primary consequences include:
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
Recent update: In 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor updated the civil penalty amounts for certain violations, though the core EPPA posting requirement and text remain unchanged.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Any employer engaged in interstate commerce with employees is covered by the federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 and must post the EPPA notice. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | The EPPA applies to virtually all private-sector employers, including bars, with few exceptions, requiring the poster if you have one or more employees. |
| Food Truck | Required | Food trucks are private employers whose operation affects interstate commerce, thus falling under the jurisdiction of the federal EPPA, requiring the poster. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Coffee shops serving the public are engaged in interstate commerce and, as employers, must comply with the EPPA's mandatory posting requirement. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Select 'Yes' if your business currently has at least one employee, as the EPPA poster requirement is triggered by hiring personnel.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have employees, which is a direct violation of the federal requirement.
Enter the total current number of employees, which determines the applicable federal labor laws and your requirement to display the poster.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an inaccurate number or '0' if you have employees, which can lead to compliance failures.
Provide the official street address where employees report for work and where the poster must be physically displayed.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a P.O. box, a home address, or an incorrect address, which can invalidate the record of compliance.
Select 'Yes' if your business operates from more than one physical location, as you must display a poster at each worksite.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have multiple locations, which leaves you exposed to penalties at undisclosed sites.
Describe the exact, conspicuous area where the poster is or will be displayed (e.g., 'break room bulletin board next to time clock').
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a vague description like 'in the office' which does not meet the specific, conspicuous placement requirement.
Select 'Yes' if an EPPA poster is currently posted; 'No' if you need to acquire and post one to achieve compliance.
Confirm your displayed poster is the current, official version from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), not an outdated or unofficial copy.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using an outdated poster from a previous year, which does not satisfy the legal requirement for current information.
Enter the date you downloaded the official 2026 EPPA poster from the DOL website, which serves as your record of acquisition.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving blank or entering an incorrect date, creating a gap in your compliance audit trail.
Enter the date you physically posted the EPPA poster in the workplace, which is your official start of compliance.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a future date or the download date instead of the actual posting date.
You must confirm you understand the poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place accessible to all employees.
ApronPrep auto-fills 10 of 12 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Displaying the 2024 or earlier version of the poster after the 2026 revision date results in immediate non-compliance with federal law. While there is no direct fine for just having the wrong poster, it weakens your legal defense in a Wage & Hour Division investigation and can be cited as evidence of broader non-compliance. Always download the official poster directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's website to ensure you have the current version.
Posting the EPPA notice in a back office, break room, or manager's office that is not frequented by all employees violates the 'conspicuous place' requirement (29 CFR § 801.6). This mistake can lead to employee claims of being uninformed of their rights, which can be used against you in a legal dispute. The poster must be displayed alongside other federal labor law posters (like the FLSA and OSHA notices) in a common area like a kitchen bulletin board or near time clocks.
Failing to distribute the EPPA poster content to fully remote or off-site employees is a common oversight. The Department of Labor requires that all employees be informed of their rights under the Act. To avoid this, include the poster as a digital document in your employee handbook portal or send it via secure company email at the time of hire, and keep a record of distribution.
ApronPrep auto-fills 10 of 12 fields from one compliance interview.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | ||
| Miami | ||
| Tampa |
Obtain the current 2026 version of the EPPA poster from the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division website (dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters). You can download a free PDF for printing or order a physical copy. Ensure you have a printer and paper ready or your shipping address for the physical order. The most common mistake is posting an outdated version, which violates the law.
If you downloaded the PDF, print it on letter-sized (8.5" x 11") paper. Use a color printer if possible for clarity, as the poster contains the DOL seal. You will need a suitable frame or protective sleeve and a location for posting. Laminating the poster is recommended for durability in a restaurant environment.
Display the poster in a prominent area where employees routinely gather or see notices, such as a break room, near time clocks, or next to other required labor law posters. The location must be accessible to all employees. Failure to post is a violation of the EPPA and can result in penalties.
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Florida.
federal
local
state
federal
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsProcessing time varies for this federal notice. There is no government application to process or approve—this is a mandatory posting requirement. Compliance is immediate upon obtaining and displaying the official poster from the U.S. Department of Labor.
There are no government filing fees for this poster. The U.S. Department of Labor provides the official notice for free download and printing. Be aware, however, that failing to display the poster can result in federal penalties, which is why many owners bundle it with other required postings like the ADA Compliance Self-Certification for efficiency.
Yes. This federal notice is not location-specific and is tied to your status as an employer. If you move your business within Jacksonville or to a new city, the same poster remains valid. You must ensure it is displayed in a conspicuous place at the new address, just as you would for a new Certificate of Use (COU) from the city.
There is no formal renewal. The poster is a perpetual notice requirement while you have employees. You must replace it only if the U.S. Department of Labor issues an updated version, as noted on their website. Keep the poster legible and visible to all employees to avoid compliance issues.
Federal or state labor investigators will check that the poster is displayed in a prominent area accessible to all employees, such as a break room or near time clocks. Non-compliance can trigger fines, per the U.S. Department of Labor's enforcement guidelines. It is typically checked alongside other federal employment law postings during a routine review. Not legal advice—contact the Wage and Hour Division for official guidance.
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 Florida specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa), 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.
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