Your Tulsa restaurant is at risk for state labor penalties and employee lawsuits if you don't properly display the state-required Earned Sick Leave Notice, also known as a sick time poster. This is a mandatory Oklahoma labor law notification issued by the Oklahoma Department of Labor for businesses with Oklahoma-based employees. Key facts:
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In Tulsa, displaying the official Oklahoma Earned Sick Leave Notice and Poster is a legal requirement mandated by state law, specifically the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act and other related workplace statutes. These laws, which encompass the earned sick time law, tip law, and prevailing wage law, require employers to post current wage and benefit information in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees. The poster communicates essential rights, including the accrual and use of earned sick leave, minimum wage rates, and tip credit rules. Failing to post the correct, state-issued notice is considered a violation of posting statutes, which are a foundational part of employment law compliance.
Not posting this mandatory notice exposes your restaurant to several concrete risks and penalties. Based on ApronPrep's analysis of enforcement actions, the primary consequences include:
Legal code: State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
Recent update: A significant statewide update in 2026 under the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act adjusted the required minimum wage rates and may have impacted related notice language; employers must ensure they are displaying the current 2026 version of the poster issued by the Oklahoma Department of Labor.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required as per OK Labor §40-1015.A, applies to employers with 10+ employees, including restaurants, in Tulsa after March 1, 2026. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if employing 10+ people; bars are considered private employers under the Oklahoma Earned Sick Leave Act. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required if operating a single mobile unit with 10+ employees on the payroll, as the law applies based on employer size, not physical location type. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required if employing 10+ individuals; the notice is mandatory for all eligible private employers under the Act. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Using a template from another state or a generic 'leave' poster instead of the official Oklahoma-specific Earned Sick Leave notice is a common violation. The Oklahoma notice must include specific state law provisions and contact information for the Oklahoma Department of Labor. Posting an incorrect notice can result in a formal citation and requires immediate corrective action, adding 1–2 weeks to your compliance timeline while you obtain and post the correct document.
Placing the notice in a breakroom, manager's office, or only in an employee handbook does not satisfy the posting requirement. The Oklahoma Department of Labor requires the notice to be posted 'in a conspicuous and accessible place' where employees can readily see it, such as next to time clocks or on a main employee bulletin board. Non-compliance can be cited during a routine inspection or reported by an employee, triggering a compliance review.
The official poster must include current contact details for the Oklahoma Department of Labor, including phone number, website, and physical address. Using an outdated version of the poster with old information is a frequent oversight. This mistake can misdirect employee inquiries or complaints, potentially delaying official responses and complicating the resolution of any issues, which can extend administrative follow-up by several business days.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Tulsa |
Obtain the current version of the official 'Oklahoma Earned Sick Leave' poster from the Oklahoma Department of Labor (ODOL) website. Confirm you have the 2026 poster, as previous versions from the law's 2025 effective date are non-compliant. Ensure the download is the full-size, high-resolution file for clear printing.
Print the poster on 11x17 inch paper or larger for readability. Post it in a break room, kitchen, or other common area where all employees can easily see it, as required by the Oklahoma Earned Sick Leave Act (House Bill 2726). Posting near mandatory federal posters (like OSHA and FLSA) is a common best practice. Laminating the poster is recommended for durability.
Give each employee a written copy of the notice in their preferred language (if available from ODOL) at the time of hire. For existing employees, you must provide the notice within 30 days of any changes to the law or your policy. This can be provided via email, a printed handout, or within an employee handbook. Keep a signed acknowledgment of receipt in personnel files.
Applications go to the Oklahoma oklahoma department of labor. Local procedures and fees may vary — select your city below.
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Oklahoma.
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See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe posting and record-keeping requirements of the Oklahoma Earned Sick Leave Act are effective upon employing workers, with no formal government processing timeline. Your responsibility to post the notice begins when you have employees, but you also need to ensure you have a Application for Employer Identification Number completed first. The timeline varies and is based on when you meet the employee threshold, so contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor to confirm your start date.
The required poster is available to download for free from the Oklahoma Department of Labor. There are no government filing fees ($0–$0) for obtaining the poster itself, as per the state’s official website. Not legal advice — verify with the Oklahoma Department of Labor.
Yes, the notice is a general workplace posting requirement that applies at any location where you have employees in Oklahoma. If you open a new location, you must post it there, which is often part of the process for obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy for that site. No transfer application is needed; simply download and post the current version of the notice.
You do not 'renew' the poster on a scheduled basis like a license. Your obligation is to ensure the notice remains posted and is the most current version issued by the state. You should check the Oklahoma Department of Labor website annually for updated posters, as required information can change with new regulations.
There is no dedicated inspection for this poster. Compliance may be checked during a routine visit by a state labor investigator or as part of a wage complaint investigation. The investigator will verify the poster is displayed in a conspicuous location and that your sick leave policies and records align with the law's requirements.
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 1 city (Tulsa), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 0 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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