Your restaurant faces a federal investigation and potential fines for failing to display the latest Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster, also known as the federal workplace polygraph rights notice. This mandatory poster is issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, for employers in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Key facts:
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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:
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
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.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required by federal law (29 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.) as an 'employer' engaged in interstate commerce with at least one employee. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) as any business with employees engaged in or affecting interstate commerce. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required; the EPPA applies to employers regardless of a physical, fixed location if they have employees and are in interstate commerce. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required; the EPPA's posting requirement applies to all covered employers, including those in food service, with no small-business exemption. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Norman | ||
| Oklahoma City | ||
| Tulsa |
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.
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.
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.
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Oklahoma.
federal
local
federal
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThere 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.
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.
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