Thursday, October 3, 2013

Responsible Alcohol Service Training At Work

By Angel Dudley


Whether you are the club or restaurant owner, manager clerk, server, waiter or waitress, you need to be aware of your legal responsibilities and the liabilities regarding alcohol sales and service. Responsible alcohol service training offers comprehensive education in areas of concern. It will give you tips on how to spot fake identification, dealing with alcohol misuse and handling difficult or troublesome situations. It can also enhance cooperation between local law enforcement officials and the sales and service industry and makes your job easier.

Many states have laws requiring that employees who serve or sell alcoholic beverages must attend these classes and acquire a certificate proving that they have satisfactorily completed the courses prior to employment. Most states also require that the training be repeated and the certification be renewed. The renewal requirement averages out to every three years.

Bar and restaurant owners as well as employees are required to attend these courses. The content differs some as the owners are shown how to implement the techniques that staff must follow when working in alcohol sales or service in their business. The employee learns the laws and the ways and means to follow policy and keep the customer happy.

It is strongly recommended that in house sessions be held after the formal classes are complete. In house experience compliments what has been taught in the class room and is thought to be more productive to the individuals who work there. Management should collect copies of the employee certification of completion from the service classes. It is also important that the staff is well aware of the consequences of failure to follow policy while serving or selling alcoholic beverages.

Issue a summary of the local and state laws regarding alcoholic beverage sales to each employee. Go over the laws to be certain they understand the law and the consequences for not obeying the laws. Be sure to ask questions and encourage them to ask questions also.

Proper instruction on legal and acceptable identification cannot be stressed to strongly. Persons who do not look over thirty years old should be carded. There are ID scanners that will assist with finding false IDs. Another problem with underage drinking comes in the form of patrons sharing their drinks with minors or purchasing drinks for them to consume outside of the building on patios or in parking lots. Servers need to be skilled in this area and be capable of stopping it without causing a scene.

Patrons who are obviously intoxicated present another area where servers need special training. Being able to refuse to serve someone who has had enough or presents a danger to himself or others takes skill and practice. Most customers who are refused service for this reason will not happily accept the word of waitress or bartender. When confronted with this dilemma knowing the policy and laws surrounding the problem are mandatory. The server must be aware of who to call in the event the situation gets out of control.

The owners and managers serve a large role in implementing responsible alcohol service training. They are responsible for signs stating the age of 21 as the legal age for service. They put the ID standards into effect. They also need to be active in the on going training of staff and making sure the tools to do the job are available and that the final word for service comes from them.




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