Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster in Spokane, Washington (2026)
Operating without the required federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster in Spokane, Washington leaves you exposed to investigations and fines from the U.S. Department of Labor. This federal requirement, also called the "lie detector poster," must be displayed where all employees can see it. Key facts:
- 12 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 10
- $0–$0 government filing fee — the poster itself is free
- Varies — you must post it immediately after hiring your first employee
Analyzed from Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
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Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
In Spokane, Washington, your restaurant is subject to federal workplace poster requirements, primarily governed by the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA). While the state of Washington has its own set of required posters, the EPPA Poster is a federal mandate (29 U.S.C. §§ 2001-2009) for nearly all private employers. The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees and applicants can readily see it. The requirement is enforced by the DOL's Wage and Hour Division, which conducts compliance investigations without requiring a complaint.
Failure to display the correct, current federal and state workplace posters has tangible consequences. Most fines and penalties stem from the DOL's enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which often accompanies poster checks. Common consequences include:
- Civil money penalties for willful or repeated violations, which can reach over $1,000 per violation for FLSA-related posters.
- Increased liability in wage disputes, as a missing poster can be used as evidence of a lack of good faith compliance with labor laws.
- Disqualification from government contracts, as compliance with posting laws is a standard prerequisite for federal and state contractors.
- Trigger for a broader DOL audit, where an investigator finding one missing poster is likely to examine your payroll, timekeeping, and classification practices for other violations.
Legal code: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act
Recent update: In 2024, the DOL updated several of its mandatory workplace posters; while the EPPA poster itself was not revised, the required 'Employee Rights' poster summarizing FLSA rights was updated, and employers are expected to display the most current versions.
Who Needs a Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required, as all employers engaged in or affecting interstate commerce with one or more employees must display the poster under 29 U.S.C. § 2001, regardless of specific food service model. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required, as the EPPA applies to virtually all private-sector employers with employees, and this establishment type is not among the narrow federal exemptions. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required, as food trucks with employees are covered employers under the Act if their business affects interstate commerce, which most do through supply purchases or sales. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required, unless the business has zero employees (only owner-operators), as the EPPA's posting requirement begins with the first hired employee. |
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 Spokane business has any employee on payroll, even a single part-time worker; sole proprietors with no payroll must select 'No'.
COMMON MISTAKE: Mistakenly selecting 'No' for a family-run business with any non-owner paid staff, which can create a false record of non-applicability and is a common citation trigger during audits.
Number of Employees
numberEnter the total count of all employees currently on payroll at your Spokane location(s), including full-time, part-time, and temporary workers.
COMMON MISTAKE: Omitting part-time, seasonal, or recently hired staff, which leads to an inaccurate count; this number is a key data point for DOL record-keeping and audit scope.
Primary Workplace Address
addressEnter the official, full street address where your business primarily operates and where employees report for work in Spokane.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a P.O. Box, a registered agent's address, or the owner's home address instead of the physical worksite address, which violates the DOL's 'conspicuous place' display requirement.
Has Multiple Work Locations
booleanSelect 'Yes' if you have employees regularly working at more than one distinct physical address under the same business name in or around Spokane.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have a secondary office, storage facility, or remote site where employees work, which can lead to incomplete compliance and fines for each unposted location.
Poster Display Location Description
textDescribe the exact physical location where the poster is/will be displayed, e.g., 'Break room bulletin board next to time clock' or 'Main entrance hallway near employee schedules'.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using vague phrases like 'in the office' or leaving the field blank, which fails to demonstrate a good-faith effort to meet the DOL's 'conspicuous place' standard and is a frequent audit finding.
Currently Has EPPA Poster Displayed
booleanSelect 'Yes' only if a legally compliant, official 2026 EPPA poster is currently posted in a conspicuous area accessible to all employees at your Spokane workplace(s).
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' based on an outdated poster (pre-2026) or one displayed in a manager's office not accessible to all staff, which constitutes non-compliance and can lead to fines if discovered.
Current Poster Is Official DOL Version
booleanSelect 'Yes' only if your displayed poster is the exact version downloaded from the U.S. Department of Labor's official website or an unaltered, government-issued print copy.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' for a poster purchased from a commercial vendor that has been reformatted or contains disclaimers, which may not meet the DOL's strict 'exact text' requirement and invalidates compliance.
Poster Download Date
dateEnter the date you obtained the current official EPPA poster file from the DOL website, which proves you accessed the most recent version (2026 or later).
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a date prior to 2026, which signals you are using an obsolete poster version and are not in compliance with the current federal notice.
Poster Display Date
dateEnter the date you physically posted the official 2026 EPPA poster at your Spokane workplace, establishing the start date of your compliance period.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving blank or entering a future date, which creates a record of non-compliance for the period between hiring your first employee and the display date.
Confirms Understanding of Display Requirements
booleanSelect 'Yes' to affirm you understand the poster must be displayed continuously in a conspicuous place accessible to all employees, not just filed away.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without reading the associated DOL guidelines, leading to improper display (e.g., in a locked cabinet) that still results in a violation and potential fine.
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. Posting an Outdated Poster Version
Posting an EPPA poster from before 2024 violates federal law, as the Department of Labor (DOL) updated the poster language. This oversight is the top cause of compliance failures during a DOL inspection. To avoid, download the official 2026 "Employee Rights Under the Polygraph Protection Act" poster directly from the DOL's Wage and Hour Division website.
2. Displaying in an Inaccessible Location
Taping the poster in a back office or break room where employees do not regularly pass fails the "conspicuous place" requirement. Consequences include being cited by the DOL and potential fines for willful violations. The poster must be displayed where all employees can easily see it, such as near time clocks, in a main hallway, or with other required federal and Washington state labor law posters.
3. Failing to Post in a Recognized Language
If a significant portion of your workforce in Spokane is not proficient in English, failing to provide the poster in a language they understand violates DOL guidance. This mistake creates liability for discrimination claims under EPPA. Check the DOL website for available translated versions and post the appropriate one alongside the English version to ensure comprehension for all employees.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
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Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster by City in Washington
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | ||
| Spokane | ||
| Tacoma |
Process for Posting the EPPA Notice
Download the Official Federal Poster
Obtain the most current "Employee Polygraph Protection Act" notice poster directly from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) website. The federal poster is mandatory and must be used; state-specific posters are not required for EPPA compliance. You do not need to apply for this poster or submit anything to obtain it—it’s a free download. Verify you have the 2026 or most recent version, as the DOL occasionally updates the poster.
Print and Prepare the Poster for Display
Print the downloaded poster. The DOL requires the poster to be of a sufficient size, printed legibly, and in a format that is easily visible. Use standard letter (8.5” x 11”) or larger paper. Ensure you have a prominent place to post it, such as a common area where employees regularly gather, like a break room, near time clocks, or alongside other required federal and Washington state labor law posters (e.g., minimum wage, safety).
Post the Notice in Your Workplace
Physically post the EPPA notice in a conspicuous place where it can be readily seen by employees and applicants for employment. This step must be completed by the time you open for business or hire your first employee. In Spokane, this posting is part of your standard federal compliance; there is no submission or review process with the city of Spokane or Washington State. The act of posting itself is the compliance action.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Washington.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Annual Report Filing
state
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsAcquiring the poster takes minutes, not weeks. This is a federal notice you must download from the U.S. Department of Labor website and display—there is no application or approval process through the City of Spokane. Since this is a mandatory display, you should post it before your first employee's first day, as compliance is required from the start of business.
There are $0 government filing fees for this federal poster. The official notice is provided free of charge by the U.S. Department of Labor for download and printing. Not legal advice—verify poster display requirements alongside your other local permits, such as your City Business License/Registration.
Yes, the same physical or printed poster can be moved. The EPPA notice is not location-specific; it's a federal workplace right posting required wherever you have employees. You must ensure it is prominently displayed at your new business address, a step often coordinated with applying for a new Certificate of Occupancy.
You do not renew this poster, but you must replace it if the federal government updates the mandatory language. The U.S. Department of Labor reissues the poster when laws change; it is your responsibility to obtain and display the current version. Contact the Wage and Hour Division to confirm you have the latest edition.
There is no dedicated inspection for this poster. Compliance is typically verified during broader federal or state labor audits, which can be triggered by employee complaints. An investigator will check that the current poster is displayed in a conspicuous place where all employees can see it, similar to checking for other required postings like minimum wage notices.
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 Washington specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma), 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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