Any restaurant serving alcohol must ensure that its staff has been trained in TIPS Certification. This program helps bar staff and waitstaff recognize when a customer has consumed too much alcohol. This program helps restaurant owners avoid potential lawsuits arising from alcohol-related incidents and accidents.
Utah is one of the states that requires all employees who are responsible for serving alcoholic beverages to undergo alcohol service safety training.
What is TIPS Certification?
TIPS stands for Training for Intervention Procedures. This guide will help you determine if someone has been drinking excessively and how to handle it. It can also help to identify people who are not yet allowed to drink alcohol.
Why should your staff be certified in TIPS?
TIPS training can have many benefits, including additional protection against alcohol liability lawsuits. This could help lower your insurance premiums. This could even increase customer service. You and your staff will be able to better understand both state and local liquor laws.
How can you set up a TIPS certification at your restaurant?
TIPS’ website allows you to search for and contact local TIPS instructors. A trainer will come to you and give a three- to the five-hour training session, before administering the certification exam. Your employees can also attend TIPS training in another location.
Another option is eTIPS. This online TIPS course allows employees to work at their own speed. You only need to purchase an eTIPS passport for each employee who wants to receive alcohol training. They cannot all be using the same computer at once. Each person must sign up for training separately.
Although the number of states that accept the online TIPS certification is increasing, not all states will. As of 2018, it was up to 44. For more information on the rules and regulations that apply to TIPS certification in your region, make sure you contact your local alcohol licensing agency.
What is the cost of TIPS certification?
The type of program that you offer will determine the cost. The cost ranges between $15 to $40 per employee. As of 2018, the online course costs $40 per person. As a way of improving public safety, some states offer TIPS and similar training programs to their employees free of charge. To find out if your state has one, contact the local liquor enforcement agency.
Are my employees required to pay for TIPS certification?
You should make sure that all restaurant staff is trained in TIPS. All your employees must receive the full state minimum wage. This means that if they are attending TIPS training, they can’t be paid the tipped minimum wage. They won’t be able to earn tips while they are in training, so you should make up any difference.
