COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q:  What is the legal age to bartend in Massachusetts?

A: You must be at least 18 years of age to bartend or handle alcohol on a licensed premise. This includes mixing drinks, pouring draft beer, handling bottles in any way, and clearing partially consumed alcoholic beverages from the bar and/or tables. This also includes stocking shelves in a liquor store.

SOURCE: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 138, s.34

Q:  What if I pay to have a staff member trained, and then he or she leaves?

A: As as owner or manager, you do not have to pay for training. Many of our clients will require training as a condition of employment. Some employers will split the cost with an employee. Others will have the employee pay the fee and then reimburse the employee after a set period of time.

Most importantly, what if you don't have a properly trained staff and they don't leave?

Q:  Why should I hire an outside trainer when I can save money by having a staff member trained as a trainer?

A: Because you won't save money. The initial cost to have a person trained as a trainer will be between $225 and $500. You will also have to pay the staff member's regular wages while he or she attends the two day workshop.

You will also need to purchase a training manual for each person you wish to certify. These will cost between $11 & $20 each.

In addition, you must pay the staff member to set up and conduct the workshop, and complete and mail all of the paperwork.

With TIPS there is an annual re-certification fee, and every other year the person must attend a two day workshop.

Quality of training is an additional concern. A staff member that already has a full plate of responsibility may cut the program short to save time, thus exposing you to increased liability, or may not schedule a workshop until it’s too late. If the staff member leaves, you’re back to square one.

Should you ever find yourself a defendant in a civil action, it is better to have a certified trainer outside of your employment testify on your behalf. This way there can be no inference of collusion or favoritism on the trainer's testimony.

Both BAR CODE® and T.I.P.S.® are basic foundations for an individual trainer to build upon. By having a staff member as a trainer, all you will get is the basic program. If the staff member is not comfortable with public speaking, the quality of the training will be greatly diminished.