Who Regulates Food and Beverage Compliance Training?

Who really oversees the regulatory landscape for training in Food Safety and Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service?  The short answer - NO ONE agency or body regulates it all. These industries can have rules and regulations all the way from the national level down to state, county, and even city jurisdictions. And it’s different everywhere.  It’s like a big bowl of spaghetti. 

When is Training Really Required? 

So, you’re running your business and you think you’re doing OK. But do you really know if you’re training your employees in accordance with compliance laws?  Turns out, you might not be...laws and rules about Food Safety and Alcohol Seller/Server (On AND Off-Premise) training are incredibly complex sometimes - and they differ widely between states, counties, and even towns; with many different layers of rules and regulations per type and location of your business.

It’s a fairly straightforward and widely known fact that folks under 21 can’t legally buy alcohol.  However, we all know young people will try to get around that sometimes. When you own or operate an establishment that sells alcohol, the consequences of breaking this law can get complicated -- and costly!  

If you own or operate a business that serves alcohol, you probably know the basic do’s and don’ts of selling and serving alcohol to patrons. You probably also know the risks and penalties for non-compliance. But did you know that law enforcement agencies in your city, county, and state are on the lookout as well?

What is Dram Shop Liability?

Dram Shop Rules are civil statutes that hold an establishment which sells alcohol to an intoxicated (or almost intoxicated) individual, or an underage customer, legally responsible/liable for any harmful activity (e.g. injuries, accidents, fatalities) caused by said person.  Liability under these laws is tricky to prove because causality must be shown - i.e. a direct connection between the sale of alcohol to an individual, resulting in an incident. 

Operating a well-run establishment in the Food and Beverage marketplace can be enormously rewarding, and it can be quite complicated.  Managing all the different compliance needs of your state and local regulations, employee training and performance, and customer health and safety can put a strain on the most experienced operators.  So what can you do about it?

What is a Responsible Vendor Program? 

It’s a little different in each state.  Most Responsible Vendor Programs (RVPs) are programs under the control of the regulatory body that governs the sale of Alcohol. 

What’s one of the most nerve-wracking, potentially catastrophic experiences in a food and beverage establishments’ business operations? That’s right - a surprise inspection by the authorities. 

Self-auditing is a great way to make sure you are ALWAYS ready for a surprise inspection - and never get caught unprepared.  A lot of really terrible results can happen due to an inspection that goes awry - and it only takes ONE time to potentially cost you your reputation, and your business!

Record What?

Recordkeeping isn’t the most glamorous topic, let’s face it.  But kind of like housekeeping, it’s a necessary chore. Are you engaging in best practices for recordkeeping of mandated training?

What’s the Big Deal About Training?

There’s a lot of talk about how training employees is a no-brainer. But what if it’s not mandatory? Do we even need to worry about it?  YES. Industry and Regulatory compliant training (such as safe food handling and responsible beverage sales) will protect both your business and the public you serve.

Training Days

We’ve all been to required job training.  There’s a trainer standing in front of disinterested employees in a fluorescently - lit room droning endlessly about (something?) mundane. Training is the worst, right?  It doesn’t have to be.

Whether it’s orientation for new-hires or required courses in Food Safety or Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service - it’s GOT TO GET DONE. 

At What Cost?

We all know we have to train our employees in responsible alcohol sales and service and food safety practices.  It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s often legally required, whether by state, county, or local regulations.  So how do we get quality compliance training without breaking the bank? What is “TCT” anyways? It’s your TOTAL Cost of Training.

We know training is a critical element to business success.  Not only is it often legally mandated, it’s the right thing to do. But you still might have questions. How will switching training providers improve my business? What can another training provider really do for me? Why does it even matter so much? Well, let’s see.

If you own, operate or manage a liquor establishment in Illinois, this is GOTTA HAVE information. According to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) In 2018, Illinois law enforcement officers conducted over 16,000 liquor inspections statewide. 

According to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) newsletter, on “July 1, 2018, Illinois became a mandatory server training state. The Commission’s Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and
Training (BASSET) Program is required for all servers, bartenders and security detail to be certified by a licensed BASSET provider.” This applies to all on-premise establishments - bars, restaurants, nightclubs, sports bars and movie theaters. Off-premise (sales of liquor to be consumed elsewhere) establishments are exempt; but, a local ordinance may mandate that off-premise alcohol sellers also must be trained, so make sure you understand your local ordinances as well.