Failing to post the required notice can expose your restaurant to Department of Labor investigations and potential fines for violating servicemembers' rights. This is the federal Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster, mandated for all Jacksonville employers by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), also called the workplace veterans' rights notice. Key facts:
Analyzed from Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster
86% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
All employers in Jacksonville are required to display the USERRA poster in a conspicuous place accessible to employees and applicants. This is a federal mandate under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), specifically 38 U.S.C. § 4334. While USERRA is federal law, Florida employers must comply, and failure to do so can trigger enforcement actions from the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) or through private lawsuits. The poster outlines critical rights for servicemembers regarding leave, reemployment, and protection from discrimination.
Non-compliance carries significant legal and financial risks. Based on USERRA enforcement data, the primary consequences for violations include:
Legal code: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Recent update: In 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor released an updated version of the USERRA poster; while the core rights remain unchanged, employers must ensure they are displaying the current version to demonstrate compliance.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | USERRA applies to all private employers, regardless of size, according to 38 U.S.C. § 4301; there is no employee-count threshold exemption. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | All private-sector employers, including bars, must comply with federal USERRA posting requirements per 38 U.S.C. § 4334 and Department of Labor regulations. |
| Food Truck | Required | USERRA applies to mobile food service businesses with employees, as the law covers any private employer without a minimum employee exemption. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Any coffee shop or café that hires employees must display the USERRA poster; it is a federal requirement for all private employers. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Enter 'Yes' if your business employs one or more individuals, as this triggers the federal USERRA poster requirement for all employers regardless of size.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have any employees, which is a common misstep for owners with part-time or seasonal staff, creating a direct compliance gap.
Enter the total number of individuals currently employed, including part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers; this verifies your coverage under the law.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank or entering '0' when you have employees; the law applies even to businesses with a single employee.
Enter 'Yes' only after you have successfully obtained the official 'Your Rights Under USERRA' poster (VETS-1010 Rev. 3) from the U.S. Department of Labor.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' prematurely by downloading an outdated or non-official version of the poster, which does not satisfy the legal requirement.
Enter 'Yes' if you require guidance to locate or access the official poster; this is a self-assessment and does not affect compliance status.
COMMON MISTAKE: Misunderstanding this as a formal request; this field is informational and does not trigger assistance from an agency.
Enter 'Yes' once you have a physical copy of the official poster printed on standard 8.5" x 11" paper, ready for display.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' before actually printing the poster, assuming digital possession is sufficient for the physical posting mandate.
Select the method used (e.g., 'In-house printer,' 'Commercial print service') to produce the poster; this is for your internal record.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this blank; while not a primary compliance factor, incomplete records can hinder audits of your posting process.
Enter 'Yes' only after you have selected a conspicuous workplace location where employees can readily see the poster, such as a common break area.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without a specific, permanent location in mind, leading to non-compliant 'ad-hoc' posting that inspectors will note.
Provide a precise, plain-English description of the poster's location (e.g., 'On the bulletin board next to the time clock in the employee break room').
COMMON MISTAKE: Using vague terms like 'in the back' or 'on a wall'; insufficient detail makes it difficult to verify or demonstrate compliance during an inspection.
Enter 'Yes' only on the date the official, printed poster is physically affixed in its designated, conspicuous location.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' for simply having the poster on hand, which is the most frequent error leading to citations for failure to post.
Enter the exact calendar date (MM/DD/YYYY) when the poster was physically placed in its required location, creating a verifiable compliance timeline.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an incorrect or future date; auditors may cross-reference this with other records, and discrepancies can trigger deeper scrutiny.
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Using an old USERRA poster version that doesn't reflect current Department of Labor (DOL) requirements or downloading a generic version from an unofficial source. This fails the inspection standard, as the DOL specifically mandates the 'Your Rights Under USERRA' poster (WH Publication 1420). To avoid this, download the official poster directly from the DOL's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) website. Using an incorrect poster can lead to a compliance notice and require re-posting, which adds unnecessary administrative work.
Placing the poster in a break room, manager's office, or other low-traffic area where employees are unlikely to see it. The law requires posting in a location 'where notices to employees and applicants for employment are customarily posted.' In Jacksonville, this typically means alongside other mandated posters like the Florida Minimum Wage and OSHA notices. Hiding it in an inconspicuous spot can be deemed non-compliance if investigated, potentially leading to penalties and requiring corrective action that delays resolution.
Only posting the USERRA notice at a primary worksite but neglecting remote work locations, satellite offices, or job sites where employees report in the Jacksonville area. Employers must ensure the poster is displayed at all locations where they have employees. For example, a restaurant group with three locations in Jacksonville must have the poster at each site. This oversight is a common finding during multi-site reviews and can expand a simple verification into a broader compliance issue.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | ||
| Miami | ||
| Tampa |
Verify that your Jacksonville business qualifies for the USERRA poster requirement. It's mandatory for nearly all employers. The official poster (Form WH-1461) is provided at no cost by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and must be displayed prominently where employee notices are posted. The most common misstep is ordering or downloading unofficial versions from third-party vendors, which may be outdated or incomplete.
Access the official "Your Rights Under USERRA" poster. The primary method is a free download from the DOL's Wage and Hour Division website (dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters). You can also order a single physical copy at no cost via the DOL's poster hotline or website. Ensure you have the current version (revised November 2021) and a functioning printer if downloading. Save a digital copy for your records.
Print the poster on 8.5" x 11" paper or larger. Review it to ensure all text is legible. Designate a conspicuous place for display in your Jacksonville workplace—common areas like break rooms, near time clocks, or alongside other federally mandated posters (like the FLSA and OSHA posters). Non-compliance often stems from posting in a low-traffic area, such as a manager's office employees rarely enter.
Department of Labor - Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS)
Department of Labor - Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS)
Department of Labor - Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS)
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Florida.
federal
local
state
federal
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe timeline for displaying the USERRA poster is immediate upon obtaining it. It is a federally mandated poster, not a locally issued license, so there is no processing delay. As a federal labor law compliance item, it must be posted as soon as you hire your first employee to meet the requirement per the U.S. Department of Labor.
The government filing fee for the USERRA poster is $0–$0. This is a free federal workplace poster that must be downloaded or ordered directly from the U.S. Department of Labor. Some businesses use third-party compliance kits which may have a cost, but the official federal poster itself has no fee. Not legal advice — verify with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Yes, the physical poster itself is transferable to any business location you operate, as it is a standard federal notice. However, you must ensure it is posted in a conspicuous place at every worksite, which is a parallel requirement to posting your ADA Compliance Self-Certification. The poster does not need to be updated for a simple change of address.
There is no formal renewal process for the USERRA poster. The poster must remain posted for as long as you have employees. It is considered a one-time compliance action, similar to establishing your Application for Employer Identification Number. You should periodically check the U.S. Department of Labor website for any updated versions of the poster to ensure you have the current one.
A USERRA poster inspection is not a standalone event. Compliance is typically checked during broader workplace audits by federal or state agencies, such as wage and hour investigations. An inspector will verify the poster is displayed in a location visible to all employees and applicants, alongside other required labor law posters. There is no scheduled inspection, but failure to post can result in 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 Florida specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 14 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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