Your business faces a risk of federal investigation and civil penalties for failing to properly display the workplace poster outlining the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). This federal requirement, enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), mandates all employers with one or more employees post a notice explaining the employment and reemployment rights of veterans and service members. Key facts:
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The Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster is a federal requirement for nearly all employers, mandated by the U.S. Department of Labor under 38 U.S.C. § 4334. This law requires employers to provide notice of USERRA rights, benefits, and obligations to employees. In Oklahoma City, as in all U.S. jurisdictions, the requirement applies to any employer with one or more employees. The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employee notices are customarily posted, ensuring all workers, including those serving in the National Guard or Reserves, are aware of their protections against discrimination and their right to reinstatement following military service.
Failure to display the current USERRA poster can trigger significant legal and financial consequences, even without a specific daily fine. The primary penalties stem from violations of the underlying USERRA rights the poster informs about. Consequences for non-compliance include:
Legal code: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Recent update: While the USERRA poster itself is a longstanding federal mandate, the U.S. Department of Labor periodically updates its guidance and poster versions; employers must ensure they display the most current version to maintain compliance.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required if employing anyone, as all private-sector employers are covered under 38 U.S.C. § 4301. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if employing anyone, as USERRA applies to all employers regardless of establishment type. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required if the operation has employees; there is no employee-count threshold under federal USERRA law. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required if employing staff, as federal law (38 U.S.C. § 4334) mandates poster display for all covered employers. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Select 'Yes' if your business employs one or more individuals, including part-time, full-time, or seasonal workers, as this determines if USERRA's mandatory posting requirement applies to your establishment.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have any employees, which creates a false compliance record and is a primary violation documented during routine federal or state labor inspections.
Enter the total number of individuals on your payroll, which can include owners who take a salary, as this count helps authorities verify the scope of your USERRA compliance obligation.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an inaccurate count, such as excluding part-time staff or owners, which can trigger a penalty for misrepresenting business size to a federal agency.
Select 'Yes' only after you have successfully saved the official 'Your Rights Under USERRA' poster (Form CC-285) from the U.S. Department of Labor's website or an authorized source.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without downloading the official version, as using outdated or unofficial poster templates is a common cause of non-compliance citations.
Select 'Yes' if you require technical assistance to access or save the PDF file from the DOL website, which may involve browser compatibility or file access issues.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you cannot successfully obtain the poster, which leads to an incomplete compliance record and failure to meet the posting requirement.
Select 'Yes' after the official poster has been physically printed on paper, as digital display on a computer screen typically does not satisfy the mandatory 'conspicuous place' posting rule.
COMMON MISTAKE: Assuming a digital copy suffices and selecting 'Yes' without a physical print, which is a frequent and easily verifiable violation during an inspection.
Select the method used (e.g., 'In-house printer,' 'Commercial print shop') to produce the physical poster, as some jurisdictions may request documentation of production for audit purposes.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank or selecting an unclear option, which can delay verification of your compliance steps if your records are audited.
Select 'Yes' once you have chosen a specific, permanent location within your workplace that meets the 'conspicuous to employees and applicants' standard defined by USERRA regulations.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without a concrete plan, leading to last-minute placement in a non-compliant area like a back office or a cluttered bulletin board.
Describe the exact poster location with enough detail for an inspector to find it, such as 'On the main employee break room bulletin board, next to the OSHA poster.'
COMMON MISTAKE: Using vague descriptions like 'in the back' or failing to mention proximity to other required labor law posters, which is a noted deficiency in compliance audits.
Select 'Yes' only after the physical poster is securely and permanently affixed at the identified location, completing the final step of the mandatory display requirement.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' prematurely, before the poster is actually displayed, which misrepresents your compliance status and is a direct violation.
Enter the exact calendar date (MM/DD/YYYY) when the poster was physically placed on display, which establishes your compliance timeline for regulatory records.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an incorrect or future date, which creates an inconsistency in your compliance documentation and can be challenged during an investigation.
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Posting a poster with obsolete contact information for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) or missing key updates to the law. The Department of Labor periodically updates the official poster; using an old version is a common compliance failure. This can lead to a formal complaint and investigation, even if the violation is unintentional, as employees rely on the poster for current procedures. Always download the latest version directly from the DOL’s Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) website to ensure accuracy.
Placing the USERRA poster in a break room, manager's office, or other low-traffic area where employees are unlikely to see it regularly. The law requires posting "in a conspicuous place" where employment notices are customarily posted. A poster taped to a back-office bulletin board does not meet this standard. Place it alongside other mandatory federal notices (like the OSHA and FLSA posters) in a common area like the main employee entrance or time-clock location to ensure visibility.
Assuming physical posting satisfies obligations for fully remote or teleworking employees who never visit the worksite. Federal guidance states employers must provide required notices to remote workers by electronic means if they do not report to a physical location. Simply having a poster at a central office is insufficient. To comply, you must distribute the poster via email, post it on an internal employee portal, or include it in a digital onboarding packet for all remote staff.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Norman | ||
| Oklahoma City | ||
| Tulsa |
Download the official 'Your Rights Under USERRA' poster from the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) website. There is no formal application or fee. The poster must be printed in color on 11" x 17" paper or larger. Note that while Oklahoma City has no specific local ordinance mandating a different version, you must use the current federal poster to comply.
Determine all locations where employees can readily see the poster, as required by federal law (38 U.S.C. § 4334). This includes all places where employee notices are customarily posted (e.g., break rooms, near time clocks, HR offices). For restaurants with multiple service or kitchen areas, you typically need multiple copies. Failure to post it where all employees can see it is a common compliance oversight.
Place the printed poster in the identified locations. Ensure it is not obscured and is legible from a normal viewing distance. It must be posted alongside other mandatory federal employment law posters (like the FLSA and OSHA notices). There is no submission or approval process for posting—compliance is based on your action. Retain a digital copy of the poster file and a photo of the posted notice for your records.
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 Oklahoma.
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See All RequirementsThe timeline varies, as this is a mandatory workplace poster, not an application you submit for approval. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, you should download and display the official USERRA poster immediately upon hiring your first employee. There is no processing or waiting period for the poster itself, but related requirements like obtaining an Application for Employer Identification Number may have separate timelines. Always check the dol.gov website for the most current poster version.
The official federal USERRA poster is provided at no cost by the U.S. Department of Labor. There are no government filing fees associated with downloading or displaying this poster, per the DOL's Wage and Hour Division website. However, printing the poster for physical display may incur minimal costs. Not legal advice — verify with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Yes, the USERRA poster itself is not location-specific; it's a federal requirement that applies to all covered employers regardless of address. You can move an already-printed poster to a new business location within Oklahoma City without any transfer process. However, moving your business may trigger other local permits, such as an City Business License/Registration, which you must update separately.
There is no formal 'renewal' for the USERRA poster, but you are responsible for displaying the most current version. The U.S. Department of Labor updates the poster content periodically, so you should check the official website annually to ensure compliance. Replacing an outdated poster is as simple as downloading and printing the new version, with no renewal fee required.
There is no dedicated 'inspection' solely for the USERRA poster. Compliance is typically verified during broader investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which may occur if a complaint is filed. The inspector will check that the current, official poster is displayed prominently in the workplace where employees can readily see it, alongside other required labor law notices. Failure to display it can result in penalties under USERRA's enforcement provisions.
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 3 cities (Norman, Oklahoma City, Tulsa), 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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