Whose duty is it to ensure that policies are created to guide employees of an alcohol establishment in the service of alcoholic beverages?
a. ABC
b. the alcoholic beverage server
c. the owner/licensee
d. local law enforcement
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is c. the owner/licensee.
Explanation:
In an alcohol establishment, it is primarily the responsibility of the owner/licensee to ensure that policies are created to guide employees in the service of alcoholic beverages. This is because the owner or licensee is the individual or entity legally responsible for operating the business and holding the alcohol license. They are required by law to ensure that their business complies with all regulations related to alcohol service, which includes setting up appropriate policies and procedures for their staff.
Responsibilities of the Owner/Licensee:
- Compliance with State and Local Laws: The owner/licensee must ensure that their establishment follows all state and local laws related to the sale and consumption of alcohol. This includes ensuring that employees do not serve alcohol to underage individuals or intoxicated patrons.
- Training Employees: It is the responsibility of the owner/licensee to provide training for all alcohol servers. The training should cover various important aspects like how to recognize signs of intoxication, how to check IDs, and how to deal with situations where alcohol service must be denied.
- Establishing House Policies: The owner/licensee must establish clear house policies and procedures for employees to follow when serving alcohol. These policies should include guidelines on refusal of service, monitoring of intoxication levels, and how to handle problematic situations (such as disruptive patrons).
- Ensuring Safety: The owner/licensee is also responsible for ensuring that the establishment has a safe environment for both employees and patrons. This includes managing over-serving issues and ensuring that intoxicated individuals do not leave the premises in a state of impairment.
Other Roles:
- ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control): While the ABC ensures compliance with laws and regulations, it is not directly responsible for creating policies for the establishment. Its role is more regulatory and enforcement-based.
- Alcoholic Beverage Server: Servers are responsible for following the policies and procedures established by the owner/licensee. However, they do not have the duty to create policies.
- Local Law Enforcement: Local law enforcement ensures that laws are being followed but does not create internal policies for businesses.
The owner’s or licensee’s duty to establish policies helps ensure that the alcohol establishment operates safely, legally, and responsibly.
Here is the visual representation of the owner/licensee’s responsibility in ensuring safe and legal alcohol service within an establishment. The image highlights the importance of policy creation and enforcement in ensuring responsible alcohol service.