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By ApronPrep Compliance Team|Reviewed by Sarah Chen, Food Safety Specialist|Verified April 2026
12Form Fields

Analyzed from Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster

10Auto-Filled

83% from one compliance interview

2Need Attention

Manual entry or document upload required

157+Cities Analyzed
9,849+Requirements Tracked
8,415+Forms Analyzed
433,000+Fields Classified

Why You Need a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster is a federally mandated workplace posting. It is not governed by Oklahoma City or state statute but is required nationally by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (29 U.S.C. §§ 2001-2009). This law strictly prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests for pre-employment screening or during employment. You must display this poster prominently alongside other mandatory federal and state labor law notices, like those for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and relevant Oklahoma labor laws. Failure to display it constitutes a violation of federal labor regulations.

While the EPPA itself carries its own fines, more significant consequences stem from the practical implications of incomplete workplace posting compliance. The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division conducts investigations and can assess penalties for all missing required posters. Consequences include:

  • Civil money penalties for each separate posting violation, which can be cited per missing poster.
  • Increased scrutiny during a DOL audit; inspectors who find one missing poster will check for all others, potentially uncovering additional violations for minimum wage, overtime, or child labor that carry heavier fines.
  • Litigation risk in employee disputes. An employee's attorney can use missing mandatory postings as evidence of a broader pattern of non-compliance with labor laws, potentially strengthening claims for back wages or other damages.
  • Disqualification from certain government contracts or business licenses that require proof of full labor law compliance.
Poster violations are easy for inspectors to spot and create an avoidable liability.

Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act

Back wages, liquidated damages (2x back wages), civil money penalties up to $2,374 per violation for child labor, $1,000+ for willful FLSA violations

Recent update: As of 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor has not announced substantive changes to the EPPA poster content or display requirements, but employers should verify they are using the most current version issued by the agency.

Who Needs a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster?

TypeRequiredNotes
Restaurant (Full-Service)RequiredRequired by federal law (29 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.) as an 'employer' engaged in interstate commerce with at least one employee.
Bar / NightclubRequiredRequired under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) as any business with employees engaged in or affecting interstate commerce.
Food TruckRequiredRequired; the EPPA applies to employers regardless of a physical, fixed location if they have employees and are in interstate commerce.
Coffee Shop / CaféRequiredRequired; the EPPA's posting requirement applies to all covered employers, including those in food service, with no small-business exemption.
12 more establishment types

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Field-by-Field Guide (12 Fields)

10 of 12 auto-filled

Business Has Employees

boolean
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Select 'Yes' if your business has any employees (including yourself, if you take a wage) or 'No' if you are a sole proprietor with no other workers, as the EPPA only applies to employers.

COMMON MISTAKE: Sole proprietors incorrectly selecting 'Yes' can trigger an unnecessary compliance record; if you have no employees, select 'No' to complete the process.

Number of Employees

number
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the exact number of employees, including part-time, seasonal, and full-time staff, as of your last payroll period to ensure accurate federal reporting.

COMMON MISTAKE: Entering '0' or '1' when you have multiple employees is a frequent error; this figure is used for DOL audit thresholds and must be precise.

Primary Workplace Address

address
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the complete physical address (street, city, state, ZIP) where the majority of your employees work and where the EPPA poster must be displayed.

COMMON MISTAKE: Using a P.O. Box, a home address, or an incorrect ZIP code for Oklahoma City (e.g., OKC 731xx) will cause verification issues; the address must be a verifiable worksite.

High rejection risk

Has Multiple Work Locations

boolean
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Select 'Yes' if you operate more than one worksite (e.g., a separate kitchen, office, or satellite location) or 'No' if all employees report to the single address entered above.

COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have multiple locations is a common oversight that can lead to non-compliance, as a poster is required at each worksite.

High rejection risk

Poster Display Location Description

text
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Describe the specific, conspicuous place where the poster is or will be posted, such as 'employee break room bulletin board' or 'next to the time clock in the back office'.

COMMON MISTAKE: Vague entries like 'in the back' or 'on a wall' are insufficient; DOL inspectors require a clear, identifiable location for verification.

High rejection risk

Currently Has EPPA Poster Displayed

boolean
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Select 'Yes' only if the official 2026 DOL EPPA poster is physically posted at all required locations; if not, select 'No' to proceed with download and posting steps.

COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' when you have an outdated poster (pre-2026) or no poster at all creates a false record of compliance, which is a liability during an inspection.

High rejection risk

Current Poster Is Official DOL Version

boolean
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Select 'Yes' only if your displayed poster is the exact 2026 version from the DOL website (dol.gov); posters from third-party vendors often lack required updates.

COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming an old poster or a generic 'labor laws' poster satisfies the requirement; the EPPA poster is a specific, mandated federal document.

High rejection risk

Poster Download Date

date
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the date you downloaded the official 2026 EPPA poster from the DOL website, which serves as your record of acquiring the current mandated version.

COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank or entering a future date; the download date must be a past or current date to prove timely acquisition.

Poster Display Date

date
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the date the poster was physically posted at all employee worksites; this should be on or after the download date and confirms active compliance.

COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the same date as download without allowing time for printing and posting, or using a date prior to the 2026 update, which raises red flags.

Confirms Understanding of Display Requirements

boolean
Auto-filled from compliance interview

Select 'Yes' to affirm you understand the poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can readily see it, as required by 29 CFR § 801.6.

COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without verifying the poster is actually posted and visible; this is a legal acknowledgment of your compliance duty.

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2need attention
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Top 5 Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster Mistakes

1

1. Displaying an Outdated or Modified Federal Poster

The most frequent mistake is posting the general federal EPPA poster (WH Publication 1462) from the Department of Labor's website without verifying it's the current 2026 version or a state-specific supplement. The Oklahoma Department of Labor may require specific contact information or a supplemental notice. Posting an outdated or incorrect version fails to meet the exact legal notice requirement, which can result in fines during a labor inspection.

2

2. Placing the Poster in a Non-Conspicuous Location

The EPPA poster must be placed where all employees and applicants can readily see it, such as a break room, near time clocks, or with other required labor law posters. Tucking it in a back office, a closed binder, or a low-traffic hallway fails the 'conspicuous' test. If an employee files a complaint alleging they were never informed of their rights, the business must prove proper posting, and an inaccessible location provides no defense.

3

3. Failing to Post for Job Applicants

The EPPA protects both current employees and job applicants. A common oversight is posting the notice only in employee-only areas, such as behind a counter or in a staff room not accessible to interviewees. Applicants must be able to view the poster before any pre-employment screening. Not providing this notice to applicants is a direct violation that can lead to a complaint and investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

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Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster by City in Oklahoma

CityFee RangeTimeline
Norman
Oklahoma City
Tulsa

Timeline: Varies

1

Verify Poster Requirements & Access the Official Version

Confirm you need the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) poster for your Oklahoma City workplace. Most private employers are required to display it. Access the official, current 2026 poster directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division website (dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters) to ensure you have the legally correct version. Downloading from unofficial sources is a common mistake that can result in displaying outdated or non-compliant information.

15-30 minutes
2

Download and Review the EPPA Poster

Download the PDF file of the poster from the DOL website. The poster is available in English and Spanish. Carefully review the content to understand the key employee rights it outlines, including the prohibition of most private-sector employers from requiring lie detector tests and the protections for employees who refuse to take one or who file complaints. Have your printer specifications ready (e.g., paper size, color capability) for the next step.

10 minutes
3

Print or Order a Physical Copy of the Poster

Print the downloaded PDF on 11" x 17" paper or larger, as required for visibility. You can use a standard office printer or a professional print service. Alternatively, you can order a pre-printed, durable copy directly from the DOL or an approved supplier. Ensure the print quality is high enough that all text, including the footer with the poster number (WH-1462), is clearly legible. This step's duration depends on your printing method.

1 hour to 5 business days
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Other Requirements You'll Need

This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Oklahoma.

FAQ

There is no standard processing timeline because there is no formal application or approval process. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which enforces the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA), does not issue or mail the poster. You can download and print it immediately. The required display of labor law posters is confirmed during inspections for other compliance items, like an City Business License/Registration.

The government filing fee for the official EPPA poster is $0–$0. The DOL provides the poster for free download on its website. However, if you fail to display it and are cited for non-compliance, the DOL can assess fines. Not legal advice — verify requirements and any changes with the U.S. Department of Labor.

No, because there is no physical permit or license to transfer. The EPPA poster is a federal workplace notice, not a location-specific permit. If you move your restaurant to a new address, you are required to display the poster in the new location's employee area. This is a standard part of setting up a new establishment, similar to obtaining a new Certificate of Occupancy.

The poster itself does not have a renewal cycle. However, you are responsible for displaying the most current version. The DOL updates the poster content only when the law changes, which is infrequent. As of 2026, the current poster has been in effect for several years. Check the DOL website periodically for updates.

There is no standalone 'inspection' for the EPPA poster. Compliance is typically checked during investigations triggered by employee complaints or during routine checks related to other requirements. A DOL Wage and Hour Division investigator will visit the worksite, ask to see the poster display in a common employee area, and verify it's the current version. Non-compliance can result in citations and civil money penalties.

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 Oklahoma specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Norman, Oklahoma City, Tulsa), 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.

157+Cities analyzed
9,849Requirements tracked
8,415Forms analyzed
433,000Fields classified

Sources

  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
How we verify data

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