A certificate for serving alcohol is one of the requirements for being a bartender in some states in America. As you may know, consuming alcohol has risks, especially for the drinker and everyone around them. But a certificate ensures you have the proper knowledge of the dangers of drinking alcohol.
If you want to know more about why is a certificate for serving alcohol is important, read further down below.
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What is a Certification for Serving Alcohol?
There are different terms for serving certificates regarding serving alcohol in different states. However, all training is required to be completed. Alcohol certifications are programs aimed at alcohol servers, like bartenders, to learn skills necessary to address all the common issues of alcohol, like how to interact with a habitually intoxicated customer or to serve alcohol to minors.
In addition, the primary goal of this certification is to ensure that everyone who went through this training program is equipped with the right knowledge and skills to perform their jobs safely and reduce the risk of accidents or dangerous mistakes that comes with drinking alcohol.
Here are some of the more common topics the certification covers for the training program.
- Effects of drinking alcohol in the community
- How alcohol affects the body
- Helpful tips to give alcohol servers, like learning how to spot people who are already intoxicated, how to stop serving alcohol, and how to check for IDs
- Learn the rules and regulations about alcohol service
- Learn the responsibilities of the liquor vendor, store, law enforcement, businesses, and their employees
- To identify possible alcohol-related problems
- Protect you and yourself from liability lawsuits
- Learn alcohol intervention practices to reduce the risk of accidents and tragedies
- How to handle customers who refuse to stop
- Skills and knowledge on how to work in an alcohol-serving environment
- State laws regarding serving alcohol
- To identify early signs of intoxication
- How to spot legit IDs and differentiate them from fake ones
- To spot minors and prevent selling to minors
Why is a Certificate of Serving Alcohol Important?
As you already know, drinking alcohol is one of the best times to step away from the hustle and bustle of working in a week. Unfortunately, while many people drink alcohol for fun and entertainment, excessive alcohol poses a great risk, especially to the health and well-being of the drinker.
In addition, excessive drinking poses great health risks and can lead to crimes, injuries, and accidents.
For context, more than 10,000 people are killed in the U.S. alone because of intoxication, drunk drivers, and more. Excessive drinking is also one of the primary reasons why there are 95,000 deaths related to alcohol each year, that’s in the country alone.
A certificate for serving alcohol is important for alcohol servers and bartenders because they play an important role in preventing these scenarios. In addition, if an alcohol server or bartender completes the training program, they will be knowledgeable to know when is the right time to stop serving alcohol to prevent further intoxications that can lead to accidents and injuries.
Also, liquor bar owners and employers face stiff fines if proven they have neglected their duties in preventing these catastrophes from happening. Most punishments related to this include suspension of business licenses or other criminal offenses that can be punishable by penalties or jail time.
Serving alcohol to customers is one thing, but knowing your responsibilities for protecting your customers and staff is another. The training course provides employees with the right tools and knowledge to do their job effectively while ensuring their business license is not jeopardized.
Who Should Go Through this Training Program?
This training program aims to provide a responsible and legal way of selling alcohol and everything that comes with it. While state laws vary, some states may require anyone to sell or serve liquor or manage a business related to selling and serving alcohol.
Simply put, if you are working in an alcohol-serving establishment, be it a waiter, server, bartender, or just a regular staff, going through this training program would not do wonders for you but for the establishment as well.
Prerequisites For the Certificate
- In most states, alcohol certification is mandatory, especially if you have or working in an alcohol-serving industry.
- Having completed the alcohol-serving training programs makes you even more hirable as most alcohol-serving establishments don’t have to train you anymore.
- The certificate to hire is only valid during a specific time period. Validity is often dependent on state rules and regulations.
Wrapping Things Up
As mentioned, serving and selling alcohol has legal responsibilities that come along with it. Importantly, you now know the importance of having a certificate for serving alcohol. Always remember state laws vary most of the time. It is one of the reasons why you must search through your state to know what the requirements are.
