Operating without the mandatory Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act Poster displayed in your Aurora restaurant is an unfair labor practice violation and exposes you to costly complaints and penalties. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requires this federal notice, also known as the NLRA Poster or the 7(a)(1) notice, to be posted conspicuously where all employees can see it. Key facts:
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The Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) Poster is a federal requirement mandated for nearly all private-sector employers by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) under the authority of the National Labor Relations Act. This federal law preempts local ordinances in this area, meaning your Aurora business is subject to the same federal posting rules as a restaurant in any other state. The NLRB's regulation (29 CFR Part 104) requires the poster to be conspicuously displayed where other workplace notices are posted to inform employees of their rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in other protected concerted activities.
Failing to post this notice does not carry a direct monetary fine in the traditional sense, but it triggers significant legal and operational risks. The primary consequences are enforced by the NLRB through unfair labor practice proceedings, which can be initiated by an employee or a union. Penalties and corrective actions include:
Legal code: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
Recent update: In August 2023, the NLRB issued a final rule (88 FR 53974) that amended its procedures for handling cases, reinforcing its authority to seek broader remedies for violations, which underscores the importance of strict adherence to posting requirements.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required because any restaurant engaging in interstate commerce and generating gross annual revenues over the NLRA's jurisdictional threshold (typically $500,000) is covered under the Act. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if the establishment's gross annual revenues meet the National Labor Relations Board's non-retail threshold (over $500,000), which most bars in Aurora exceed through liquor and food sales. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required as food trucks generally engage in interstate commerce (purchasing supplies across state lines) and their revenue typically surpasses the NLRB's jurisdictional standards for non-retail enterprises. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required because the retail jurisdictional standard is met through sales of goods to the public and the business almost certainly impacts interstate commerce through supply chain purchases. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Select 'Yes' if you have any employees (part-time, full-time, or seasonal) who are not supervisors or managers, as the NLRA only covers non-supervisory staff.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' because you only have a few part-timers, which is incorrect and can create a major compliance gap; if you have any non-managerial payroll, you are covered.
Choose the category that best describes your business entity (e.g., Corporation, LLC, Sole Proprietorship) from the provided list.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank or selecting 'Other' when a standard option applies, which can delay an audit or inquiry from the NLRB.
Confirm you have obtained the official 'Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act' poster from the NLRB website (nlrb.gov).
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' after downloading a poster from a non-governmental third-party site, which may provide outdated or non-compliant versions.
Select the physical size you printed (e.g., 11"x17" or 8.5"x11") or 'Electronic Only' if you are only posting digitally.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting an incorrect size that makes the poster text illegible, failing the 'conspicuous place' requirement.
Choose the language version(s) you posted. The NLRB provides official posters in English and Spanish.
COMMON MISTAKE: Failing to select Spanish if a significant portion of your workforce primarily reads Spanish, which violates NLRA posting rules.
Select 'Yes' if your business operates from a physical location like a restaurant, office, or store where employees report for work.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' incorrectly if you have any brick-and-mortar premises, which would mean skipping a required physical posting step.
List the exact, conspicuous spots where the poster is displayed (e.g., 'Break room bulletin board next to time clock,' 'Employee entrance hallway').
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing vague locations like 'the office' or forgetting to list all required areas, which fails the NLRB's specificity test during a compliance check.
Select 'Yes' if you employ any workers who do not regularly report to a physical workplace (e.g., delivery drivers, remote staff).
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have any off-site workers, which neglects the mandatory requirement to distribute the poster electronically to those employees.
Describe how you provided the poster to remote or electronic workforce (e.g., 'Posted as a PDF in the HR portal,' 'Sent via company email with read receipt').
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank if you have remote employees, or stating 'company website' without specifying the exact intranet page, which is insufficient for audit trails.
Confirm the physical poster is currently displayed in all conspicuous employee areas, not just stored in a back office.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' prematurely before the poster is actually mounted, which creates a false record and liability.
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The NLRB periodically updates the official poster, and using an old version is a common violation. For example, posting the 2012 version instead of the current one lacks required information about recent rule changes, which fails to properly inform employees of their rights. This can trigger an unfair labor practice charge, leading to an investigation by the NLRB Denver Regional Office and potential fines. Always download the latest version directly from the NLRB's official website to avoid this.
The poster must be in a prominent place where employees are likely to see it, such as a common break room or near time clocks. A frequent mistake is placing it in a back office, a low-traffic hallway, or on a cluttered bulletin board. If employees cannot readily see it, the posting is non-compliant. This often comes to light during union organizing drives and can be cited as evidence of interfering with employee rights, potentially invalidating a union election.
Employers must ensure all employees covered by the NLRA can access the notice. A major oversight is not providing the poster to remote or telecommuting staff. In Aurora, with many hybrid workplaces, this is a growing compliance gap. The consequence is that a segment of your workforce is uninformed of their rights, which can lead to unfair labor practice charges if an issue arises. Post the notice on your company's internal intranet or digital employee hub in addition to physical locations.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | ||
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Review the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and guidance from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to confirm your business must post the notice. Most private-sector employers under NLRB jurisdiction (including restaurants, retail, and manufacturing) are required to post it. Key exemptions include federal/state governments, agricultural laborers, and supervisors. You can check your jurisdiction using the NLRB's online coverage tool. This is the most common source of confusion, as status is based on annual business volume, not just industry.
Download the official "Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act" poster (NLRB Form NLRB-1462) from the NLRB website (nlrb.gov) at no cost. You must use the official, current version; commercially printed versions or outdated copies are non-compliant. The poster must be printed in black and white or color on 11x17-inch paper. Do not modify the text or format. Businesses with a significant portion of non-English speaking employees may need to order or print additional translated versions available from the NLRB.
Physically post the notice in a prominent place where other employment-related notices are customarily posted, such as an employee break room, near time clocks, or on a central bulletin board. For remote or teleworking employees, you must distribute the notice electronically via email, intranet, or company website. Ensure the poster is not defaced, altered, or covered. Many businesses fail by posting only in a manager's office or a low-traffic area, which does not meet the "conspicuous" standard and can trigger penalties.
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
federal
local
federal
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsTimelines vary. Once you download and print the poster from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) website, you have it immediately for display. The enforcement process, however, isn't about 'getting' a permit but ensuring continuous, correct posting to avoid complaints that can trigger an NLRB investigation. For local licensing, you'll also need a City Business License/Registration, which has its own processing timeline. Contact the NLRB regional office for guidance on specific compliance questions.
Government filing fees are $0–$0 for the poster itself, as the NLRB provides it free for download or order. The cost is your labor and materials to print and post it in your establishment. Note that failure to post it can result in penalties, not fees for the poster. Not legal advice — verify with the NLRB.
No, this is not a transferable permit. The poster is a federal notice requirement that applies to each physical workplace location under your control. If you move or open a new location, you must display a current poster there. You should also update your other location-specific registrations, such as your Colorado Employer Withholding Tax Registration. Order a new poster for the new address from the NLRB website.
There is no formal 'renewal' for the poster itself. Your obligation is continuous — the poster must be displayed at all times in a conspicuous place. You must replace the poster if it becomes defaced, damaged, or if the NLRB issues an updated version. This contrasts with permits like an Alarm System Permit/Registration, which has an annual renewal cycle. Check the NLRB website periodically for poster updates.
The NLRB does not conduct routine 'inspections' for this poster. Enforcement is typically complaint-driven. If an employee files an unfair labor practice charge, an NLRB agent may visit your premises to investigate and will check for the poster's proper display. The agent will verify it's the official version, is posted where employees can readily see it, and is in a language employees understand if many are not proficient in English.
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 Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 13 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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