An employer can face a federal investigation and potential damages if this required workplace notice is not posted for employee viewing. This is the federally mandated Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster, which must be displayed by all employers, enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS). It’s also referred to as the USERRA workplace notice. Key facts:
Analyzed from Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster
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You are legally required to display this poster because of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–4335, a federal law enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). All employers, including those in Tulsa, Oklahoma, must comply. The law mandates that you post the official DOL notice in a conspicuous place accessible to employees and applicants for employment, informing them of their rights regarding military service, leave, and job reinstatement. This is a specific federal requirement separate from general Oklahoma employment posters.
Failure to post this notice can trigger investigations and penalties, even if you have not violated other USERRA provisions like rehiring rights. The primary consequences are enforcement actions by the DOL and lawsuits from employees. Penalties can include:
Legal code: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Recent update: The most recent official poster version was released by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2022, which included updated contact information for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS); ensure you are displaying this current version.
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | All employers with one or more employees are required to display the USERRA poster, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Labor under 20 C.F.R. § 1002.42. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | This employer is covered by USERRA and must post the notice, as federal law applies to all employers regardless of state-specific size exemptions. |
| Food Truck | Required | Any food truck with an employee is covered by federal USERRA posting requirements; the mobile nature of the business does not create an exemption. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required, as USERRA applies to all employers in the private sector, including small coffee shops with part-time staff. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Answer 'Yes' if your business has any employees, including part-time or temporary workers, as they are covered under USERRA; answer 'No' only if you are a sole proprietor with no other paid staff.
COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly answering 'No' when you have any paid staff, including family members or part-time workers, which can lead to non-compliance fines because USERRA applies to all employers with one or more employees.
Enter the total number of individuals you currently employ, including all part-time, full-time, and temporary staff, as this number determines your specific obligations and potential penalties under federal law.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank or entering '0' when you have employees, which can trigger a compliance audit and delay the verification of your poster acquisition, as this data is used to confirm your business size category.
Answer 'Yes' only after you have successfully saved the official 'Your Rights Under USERRA' poster from the U.S. Department of Labor website to a local device or network drive.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'Yes' before the file is confirmed saved, or confusing this with simply viewing the poster online, which does not count as a valid download for compliance purposes.
Answer 'Yes' only if you encountered a technical issue (like a broken link or access error) when trying to download the official poster from the DOL website; this is for support tracking.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'Yes' for general questions about where to post it, which is a different compliance step and will not trigger the correct technical support response.
Answer 'Yes' after you have produced a physical, letter-sized (8.5" x 11") copy of the official DOL USERRA poster; digital display alone is not sufficient for most Oklahoma employers.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'Yes' for a digital copy stored on a computer, as Oklahoma regulations typically require a physical poster in a conspicuous place, and an incorrect answer here is a common audit flag.
Select the method used (e.g., 'In-house printer', 'Commercial print shop', 'DOL mailed copy') to produce your physical poster, as some methods provide different proof of acquisition timelines.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'DOL mailed copy' if you printed it yourself, as this inaccuracy can cause issues if you need to verify your poster source date during a Department of Labor audit.
Answer 'Yes' once you have selected a specific, permanent location in your workplace (e.g., break room, time clock area) where all employees can easily see the USERRA poster.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'Yes' prematurely before finalizing the location, which can lead to inconsistent answers with the next field and create a record of non-compliance if the described spot is not used.
Describe the exact spot (e.g., 'On the bulletin board next to the time clock in the west hallway') with enough detail for an inspector to locate it; vague answers like 'break room' are insufficient.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using vague descriptions like 'in back' or 'on a wall', which are the top reasons for compliance check failures because they do not demonstrate a specific, accessible posting as required by 38 U.S.C. § 4334.
Answer 'Yes' only after the physical poster is securely affixed (e.g., tacked, taped) at the identified location; intent to post is not compliance.
COMMON MISTAKE: Answering 'Yes' when the poster is merely printed but not yet displayed, which is a critical error that constitutes immediate non-compliance and can result in fines upon inspection.
Enter the exact calendar date (MM/DD/YYYY) you physically placed the poster in its designated location; this date establishes your compliance timeline for regulatory purposes.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the download or print date instead of the actual posting date, which creates a discrepancy in your compliance record and can be challenged during a Department of Labor investigation.
ApronPrep auto-fills 12 of 14 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Based on ApronPrep's analysis of Your Rights Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Poster applications, the most common error is tucking the poster in a break room binder or manager's office instead of a high-traffic area accessible to all employees. Placing it where employees cannot readily see it violates the 'conspicuous place' requirement and can lead to compliance complaints. Avoid this by posting it alongside other required labor law notices, like the OSHA and FLSA posters, in a common area such as near time clocks, in the kitchen, or in a main hallway.
Many businesses download an old PDF or purchase a generic labor law poster set that doesn't include the current USERRA notice. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) periodically updates the poster, and using an obsolete version fails to inform employees of their latest rights. This mistake can invalidate your compliance during a DOL audit. Always download the free, official "Your Rights Under USERRA" poster directly from the DOL's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) website to ensure you have the correct version.
Businesses with remote workers, multiple shifts, or separate buildings often post the notice only at a primary location, neglecting satellite offices or remote work policies. USERRA requires that all employees have access to the notice. Failing to provide it to remote staff—such as through a digital company intranet or via email—creates a compliance gap. To avoid this, implement a dual-posting policy: physical posters at all worksites and electronic access for all employees, documented in your onboarding checklist.
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| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Norman | ||
| Oklahoma City | ||
| Tulsa |
Determine that you need the official USERRA poster. This is a federal requirement for all employers covered under the Act (generally any employer with one or more employees) to post a notice informing employees of their rights. The timeline begins once you become an employer covered by USERRA or when you realize your poster is outdated. You do not need to apply for this poster—it is publicly available. A common mistake is ordering unofficial or outdated versions from third-party vendors.
Go to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) website and download the current “Your Rights Under USERRA” poster (Form VETS-20080 Rev. June 2022). This is the only official source. You will need printer access to produce a physical copy or the ability to display it digitally in a conspicuous workplace location. Ensure you download the PDF, as other formats may not be compliant.
Print the poster on standard letter-size paper (8.5” x 11”) or larger. Post it in a prominent place where employee notices are customarily displayed (e.g., break room, near time clocks). The poster must be in a location accessible to all employees, including remote workers; for them, you may satisfy the requirement by posting it on an internal website or intranet. Failure to post the correct version or in an accessible location is the primary compliance risk.
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.
federal
local
federal
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe timeline varies significantly. This is not a permit you 'get' from the city or state—it's a federal notice you must display. You can obtain the official poster for free and immediately from the U.S. Department of Labor website. Posting it correctly is part of your broader compliance, which also includes obtaining a City Business License/Registration from the City of Tulsa.
There are no government filing fees for the poster itself. The official U.S. Department of Labor USERRA poster is available as a free digital download. While some third-party compliance services may charge for poster kits or printing, the core legal document has a cost of $0–$0. Contact the Department of Labor to verify this is the current, correct version.
No, a USERRA poster is not a transferable permit. It is a federal notice required for every covered workplace. If you move your restaurant to a new location in Tulsa, you simply need to download a new, current poster and display it prominently there. Your other local permits, like your City Food License, are location-specific and must be applied for anew, per the City of Tulsa's requirements.
The USERRA poster does not have a formal renewal schedule like a local business license. You are obligated to display the most current version. The U.S. Department of Labor updates the poster infrequently, so it is a best practice to check their website annually for updates. A failure to display the correct, current poster can lead to penalties, even if your other local permits are active.
Inspections specifically for the USERRA poster are rare; enforcement is typically complaint-driven. However, a federal Wage and Hour Division investigator or a state labor official can inspect your premises to confirm the poster is displayed in a conspicuous place accessible to all employees. Not having it posted can result in compliance orders and penalties, separate from any violations found during health or building inspections. Not legal advice — verify requirements with the U.S. Department of Labor.
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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