It is important to keep in mind some employers may require bartenders/ servers to complete such courses regardless of state or city laws.State-recommended Training Providers:The New York State Liquor Authority does certify the Alcohol Training and Awareness Program (ATAP) which is a course focusing on the legal responsibilities of selling alcohol as well as training in practical skills to help licensees and their employees avoid sales to minors and intoxicated patrons. The link below has all the state-certified ATAP schools and further information:. Again, while ATAP is a valuable certification, it is not a requirement in order to work as a bartender/ server in the state of New YorkMinimum Age To Serve Alcoholic Beverages In New York.
Anyone who sells or serves alcohol should take this training to receive their certification/license, which may also be required in your state. This includes Bartenders, Servers, Bar Backs, Managers and Liquor Store Clerks.
Bartender License: The myth, the legend. Do I need really need one?We here at feel the need to help clarify some misconceptions about bartender licenses for NYC bartenders.
First off, there is no such thing as a required bartender license to work at any bar in New York City. Once again, there is no such requirement by law that requires bartenders to have a bartender license in NYC. So, where does the confusion come in? Why are some people calling it a scam?There are so many internet articles out there about this topic that it’s hard not to get confused. Every bartending school says something different about bartending licenses or bartending certificates.A certificate saying that you passed the bartending course is great and looks great on a resume. All bar managers will want to see that you have gone to bartending school, especially one as established as American Bartenders School.
This gives you an immediate leg up on the competition and get you. It proves that you are knowledgeable about liquor, beer, and wine. It proves that you can make many different kinds of drinks and that you know how to set up a bar. These are important things that bar managers want to see.
But, once again, a bartending certificate or bartender license is not a requirement in New York State.What most bartending school are referring to when they say the you need to get a bartending certificate or bartending license (unless they are flat out lying to you) is a license or certificate in alcohol awareness. Bartending Certificate or Alcohol Awareness Certificate?Some bars or restaurants require their servers to take certain alcohol awareness programs that make them knowledgable about the amount of alcohol they are serving to customers. These are not required by law, but can certainly help bar owners legally as well as yourself. Having employees who have taken these awareness programs protect their establishment against lawsuits, and also to help protect their customers from lawsuits. Anyone can serve drinks all night long, but knowing how to gracefully turn away a customer who has clearly had too much to drink is a skill.
It can also save a life. More on this a little.So, bartending schools often offer these types of alcohol awareness programs within their own class. This gets a student certified or licensed in whichever alcohol awareness program the bartending school decides to employ. So, not only do you get a top notch education on how to prepare, mix, and serve drinks to your customers, but you also get the certified in a particular alcohol awareness course within your bartending class. It is like taking an extra college course or summer school course to bolster your resume.So, it is not mandatory to have a bartender certificate or bartender license from these alcohol awareness programs, but a lot of times, bar owners prefer it if you do have one. New York State Liquor AuthorityStill confused? Let’s start at the top, with the New York State Liquor Authority.
In 1933, FDR repealed the 18th Amendment which was Prohibition. Now that alcohol was legal again, the government wanted to make sure that they had strict control over it. In 1934, New York State created the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law – which also created the New York State Liquor Authority and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. These are the folks that keep an eye on bars, liquor licenses, and other alcohol-related things in NY State. They are like the IRS of the liquor industry.According to Wikipedia, the NYSLA “determine(s) whether public convenience and advantage will be promoted by the issuance of licenses to traffic in alcoholic beverages and to carry out the increase or decrease in the number thereof and the location of premises licensed in the public interest.” These were all measures to keep the public happy after repealing Prohibition.
The government wanted to appear in charge of the situation and very strict in their alcohol policies. A lot of the same old laws created back then are still in effect to this day. One of their laws put forth that you should be very familiar with is that officially, the service of alcohol in New York State is prohibited from 4am to 8am.With the public in mind once again, the NYSLA also created the Alcohol Awareness Training Program. Liquor LiabilityBartenders and servers of alcohol need to be aware of state laws involving serving to overly intoxicated people. Some bar owners purchase to help cover them, but insurance companies often tell bar owners to also get their workers trained in an awareness program of some sort. The reason being that someone could conceivably leave the bar intoxicated and then get hurt or worse killed.
There are actual laws that govern over these types of cases, known. The laws vary from state to state, but are very important.Under NY state’s Dram Shop Law, a bar can be held civilly liable if it serves alcohol to an obviously drunk person.