Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster in Knoxville, Tennessee (2026)
You risk a U.S. Department of Labor investigation and up to $25,000 in fines for each violation if you don’t display the federally mandated Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster. This legal notice, also known as the federal workplace lie detector test rights poster, is required by the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor for all covered employers in Knoxville, Tennessee. Key facts:
- 12 fields of information and employer details to confirm — ApronPrep auto-fills 10
- $0–$0 government filing fees — the poster itself has no federal cost
- Varies for display — it must be posted immediately upon receipt and kept current
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
In Knoxville, you are required by federal law to display the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster. The core federal statute mandating this poster is the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (29 U.S.C. §§ 2001-2009). It is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. This requirement is separate from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, and Service Contract Act posters, which are also legally required but communicate different workplace rights. All covered employers must post the official EPPA notice in a conspicuous place to inform employees of their protections against lie detector tests. Failure to post is a violation of federal labor law, regardless of your state or city.
The consequences of not posting the EPPA notice can trigger DOL investigations and significant penalties. A Department of Labor compliance officer can cite the absence of the poster as a violation during any routine inspection or complaint-driven audit. Penalties for violating the EPPA are distinct from other posting violations and can include:
- Civil money penalties for each separate violation. While the EPPA statute does not specify a fixed penalty amount, the DOL has authority to assess fines, and related posting violations under other statutes can incur penalties of over $1,000 for willful violations.
- Cease-and-desist orders from the Secretary of Labor requiring you to stop any unlawful polygraph practices and to post the required notice immediately.
- Private lawsuits from employees or applicants who were subjected to unlawful polygraph tests, which can result in legal fees, reinstatement orders, and payment of lost wages and benefits.
- Insurance and lease complications, as some providers and landlords may view labor law violations as an indicator of operational risk during compliance reviews.
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
Recent update: The U.S. Department of Labor issued a revised version of the EPPA Poster in 2026, which all employers must now display to ensure compliance with current notice language.
Who Needs a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Any restaurant with one or more employees is covered by the federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act and must display the poster per 29 CFR § 801.6, regardless of business type. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | As an employer subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, a bar or nightclub must comply with the EPPA's posting requirement (29 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.), with no industry-specific exemption. |
| Food Truck | Required | A food truck with paid employees is considered an employer under the FLSA and is subject to the EPPA's mandatory notice posting, as there is no mobile business exemption. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Coffee shops with employees are covered employers and must post the EPPA notice in a conspicuous place, as required by 29 CFR § 801.6, to inform workers of their rights. |
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
booleanSelect 'Yes' if your business has one or more employees, which triggers the EPPA posting requirement; if you have no employees (e.g., a sole proprietorship with no staff), select 'No.'
COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly selecting 'No' when you have any paid staff, including part-time or seasonal workers, which can lead to non-compliance if a Department of Labor inspection occurs.
Number of Employees
numberEnter the exact count of all individuals employed at your Knoxville establishment, including full-time, part-time, and temporary workers, as this number is required for Labor Department record-keeping.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an estimate or rounding the number; you must provide the precise current employee count as inaccurate figures can result in fines during an audit.
Primary Workplace Address
addressProvide the complete physical street address in Knoxville where your employees report for work and where the EPPA poster must be displayed, matching your official business registration.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a P.O. Box or a corporate headquarters address instead of the actual worksite address, which fails to meet the 'conspicuous place' requirement for poster display.
Has Multiple Work Locations
booleanSelect 'Yes' if you operate more than one distinct workplace in Knoxville or elsewhere in Tennessee where employees work, as each location requires its own displayed poster.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have a secondary kitchen, office, or storage facility with employees, which leaves you vulnerable to fines for incomplete posting coverage.
Poster Display Location Description
textDescribe the exact spot where the poster is or will be placed (e.g., 'break room bulletin board next to time clock' or 'employee entrance hallway'), as required for verification.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using vague descriptions like 'in the back' or failing to specify a location accessible to all employees, which does not satisfy the 'conspicuous place' mandate under 29 CFR § 825.300.
Currently Has EPPA Poster Displayed
booleanIndicate whether the official 2026 DOL 'Employee Polygraph Protection Act' poster is already physically posted at your Knoxville workplace as of today's date.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' if you have an outdated poster (pre-2026) or a digital copy only, which does not meet the physical display requirement and can result in penalties.
Current Poster Is Official DOL Version
booleanConfirm that any displayed poster is the current 2026 version from the U.S. Department of Labor's website, not an older edition or one from a third-party vendor.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming any labor law poster complies; using an outdated or non-DOL poster (missing the current OMB control number or revision date) is a common compliance failure.
Poster Download Date
dateEnter the date you downloaded the free PDF poster from the DOL's website (dol.gov); use MM/DD/YYYY format to document your acquisition of the current version.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving blank or entering an incorrect date, which creates an audit trail gap and complicates proof of timely compliance if questioned by the Wage and Hour Division.
Poster Display Date
dateProvide the date you physically posted the EPPA notice at your workplace (MM/DD/YYYY); if not yet displayed, enter the date you plan to post it upon receipt.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a future date as the display date, which inaccurately represents compliance status and can be flagged as a false statement on a self-certification form.
Confirms Understanding of Display Requirements
booleanCheck 'Yes' to affirm you understand the poster must be in a conspicuous place, accessible to all employees, in English (and other languages if a significant portion of your workforce speaks them).
COMMON MISTAKE: Checking 'Yes' without verifying the poster's visibility to all shifts and staff, leading to non-compliance if it's hidden in a manager's office or a locked area.
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 Non-Compliant Poster Version
Posting a poster from before the 2026 revision or using a generic federal poster without required state-specific elements. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updates its required posters; using an old one is a direct violation. This mistake can trigger a DOL inspection and result in civil penalties. Obtain the official 2026 "Employee Polygraph Protection Act" poster directly from the DOL Wage and Hour Division website to ensure compliance.
2. Incorrect Poster Placement and Accessibility
Placing the poster in a break room, manager's office, or another area not easily accessible to all employees and applicants. The law requires it to be posted in a conspicuous place where it can be readily observed by employees and applicants for employment. Hiding it in a non-public area is a common compliance failure that adds liability risk during an audit. It must be displayed prominently in the main employee entrance or a common area like a time-clock location.
3. Failing to Display for All Covered Workers
Only posting the EPPA poster at a primary location but not at remote worksites, satellite offices, or job sites without a central office. Employers must ensure the poster is displayed at all establishments where covered workers report. Missing a secondary location can lead to separate violations. If you operate multiple kitchens or a catering division from a separate address in Knoxville, a poster must be displayed there as well.
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Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster by City in Tennessee
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | ||
| Memphis | ||
| Nashville |
Timeline: Varies
Locate the Official EPPA Poster
Visit the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) website to find the current, mandatory Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) notice. Ensure you download the poster directly from the DOL's official publications page to guarantee it is the correct, unaltered federal version. Using outdated or modified versions violates federal posting rules and can trigger penalties.
Download and Print the Poster
Download the PDF file of the 'Employee Rights Under the Polygraph Protection Act' poster. Print it on standard letter-size (8.5" x 11") paper. The poster must be printed in its entirety, with all text legible. The DOL does not charge a fee for the poster file itself, but you must cover your own printing costs. Many applicants miss the requirement to print it in a "conspicuous place" format—single-page, full-size, not reduced or shrunk.
Post in a Conspicuous Location
Display the printed poster in a prominent location within your Knoxville restaurant where employees can readily see it, such as a break room, near time clocks, or alongside other required federal and Tennessee labor law posters. Federal regulations (29 CFR § 801.6) require the poster be placed where it is easily seen by employees and applicants for employment. Failure to post it visibly is the most common compliance mistake and the primary basis for DOL fines.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Tennessee.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Alcohol Server Training Certification
state
Annual Report Filing
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsProcessing time for the poster itself is immediate, as it’s a free federal document you download. However, you must also factor in the time to obtain your Application for Employer Identification Number and local Knoxville permits, like a City Business License/Registration, before you can lawfully operate. The timeline to open can therefore vary significantly based on how quickly you complete all other required registrations.
The official government filing fee for the poster itself is $0. The U.S. Department of Labor provides the poster free of charge for download or order. Note that you may incur other fees for related compliance, such as your Annual Report Filing with the state. Not legal advice — verify total costs with your local authorities.
No. The EPPA poster is a federal labor law notice, not a location-specific license. You must display it at each of your worksites. If you move or open a new location in Knoxville, you will need a new poster for that site and will likely need a new City Business License/Registration for that address, per local ordinance.
You do not renew the poster itself. The federal notice has no expiration date. However, you must ensure your displayed poster is the current version, as the DOL can update it. You should verify its currency annually alongside your other compliance tasks, such as your Annual Report Filing. Always download the latest version from the U.S. Department of Labor website.
There is no dedicated 'inspection' for the EPPA poster. Compliance is typically verified during a broader workplace investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division or during a routine local inspection for permits like a Certificate of Occupancy. The inspector will check that the current poster is displayed conspicuously where employees can see it.
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 Tennessee specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville), 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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