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.
Below are the Top Ten Violations.
- Personnel not BASSET-certified (BASSET is the Beverage Alcohol Sellers/Servers Education & Training program in Illinois)
- Contaminated liquor
- Pregnancy warning sign not displayed
- State license not displayed
- 90 days of invoices (or waiver) not available
- Illinois business tax certificate not available
- Liquor purchased at retail
- Secretary of State stats – Not Good Standing
- Human trafficking public notice not posted
- Pre-mix not destroyed weekly
And, while not in the top ten, two additional violations warrant mention:
- Operating without a valid liquor license
- Sale of alcohol to minors
According to the ILCC, about 15% of these inspections result in fines, suspension or license revocation penalties. If your personnel are not BASSET-certified you may be assessed a fine by the ILCC, so get them trained. And, it is unlawful in Illinois to sell, serve, deliver or give alcoholic beverages to a person under 21 years of age or to any intoxicated person. Illinois law enforcement officers typically use a tactic called a Compliance Check featuring undercover teenagers to purchase alcohol from your business. Other states use similar tactics. Violation of this provision is a Class A Misdemeanor with a penalty for both the licensee and its violating staff of minimum $500.00 fine (maximum $2,500.00) and the possibility of jail sentence of up to one year. Liquor licenses can also be fined, suspended, or revoked, which could cost you your entire business.
The solution to some of these risks is employee training in the BASSET program. If you’re unsure if an employee is BASSET-certified, you can look them up online. So, let’s get your team trained today.