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Online training course helps business owners learn state liquor laws
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Restaurant, club and tavern owners who have been bewildered by the state's Alcohol Beverage Control will be able to take a new online training course.
The Empire State Restaurant & Tavern Association said Tuesday it will roll out the new program in late September, calling it the first comprehensive training in the ABCs of the state's ABC law.
The fact that the five- to six-hour course will be available online makes it more convenient to business owners who find it difficult to attend classroom training because of time constraints, said Scott Wexler, executive director of the trade association.
The online course will cost $75, with a discount available to trade association members. A classroom version of the training will also be offered, though the cost will probably be $100 and take eight hours to complete.
The trade association has long complained that restaurant owners need no prior knowledge of the ABC law before getting a liquor license. That ignorance can lead to violations that result in costly fines, suspensions or revocations of licenses, Wexler said.
"The ABC law is hundreds of pages long," Wexler said.
The training was developed with the help of the state Liquor Authority, which praised the trade association for launching the program.
"This training initiative, coupled with the SLA's educational outreach and training program, will ensure the licensed community we serve understand the responsibilities that come with the privilege of holding a liquor license," Liquor Authority Chairman Daniel B. Boyle said in a press release.
The state provides voluntary training for bartenders and servers, but Wexler said a separate program was needed for owners and managers because of the responsibilities they have beyond making sure people under the age of 21 don't drink in their business.
Given the stepped-up enforcement of the liquor law since Boyle took over as chairman in February, Wexler said the training is valuable for the owners of the 25,000 on-premises liquor licenses in the state.
The online course was developed with 360training.com, a Texas company which provides virtual courses in a number of industries.
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