How to Prepare for and Pass a WSLCB Compliance Check
If you work in the alcohol service industry in Washington State it is highly probable that a WSLCB Compliance Check (AKA Sting Operation) will be held at your place of work at some point during your career. When this happens, it will be EXTREMELY important for you to pass your compliance check if you want to protect yourself and your establishment from having any issues with the WSLCB! (We recommend staying on their good side!)
One of the ultimate ways to ensure you are prepared for your inevitable compliance check is to sign up for and complete a Washington State MAST Permit Course and receive a Class 12 Permit or Class 13 Permit.
What is a WSLCB Compliance Check? It sounds scary!
A Compliance Check isn’t as scary as it sounds, we promise! Even though you won’t be given advance notice on when your compliance check will take place, the operation itself will be a controlled situation and will follow a set procedure.
The sole purpose of these sting operations is to ensure that you and your place of work are complying with Washington State Alcohol Selling and Serving Laws and are not serving or selling alcohol to anyone under the age of 21!
Still feeling nervous? Allow us to prep you!
Here’s how your Compliance Check will go down:
The WSLCB will hire a youngin (someone who is between the ages of 17-20 years old and who looks it!) and will send them on a mission to attempt to purchase alcohol from you. A WSLCB agent will accompany them on this mission – though they may decide to wait outside or walk into the establishment before or after the minor (secret agent) enters the premises.
The minor will ask for an alcoholic beverage, and upon being asked for their ID (by you, because you must ALWAYS check a customer’s ID before serving or selling them alcohol) they will either hand you their actual ID or they will tell you they don’t have their ID on them.
If the minor hands you their ID, you will check their birth date and determine they are under 21 years of age and are not old enough to purchase or possess alcohol. You will then politely let them know that you cannot serve them alcohol because they are underage.
If the minor doesn’t hand you an ID upon being asked, you will politely let them know that you are not legally permitted to serve them alcohol until you can verify they are at least 21 years of age or older by checking their ID.
As long as you don’t serve or sell alcohol to the minor, you will pass your Compliance Check! Hooray!!!
See, it’s not so bad! The most important thing to remember is to ALWAYS check a guest’s ID in order to confirm they are 21 years of age or older before serving or selling them alcohol.
We hope this post was helpful! Stay tuned for a blog post on some helpful tips for properly checking a Washington State Driver’s License!
Cheers, and Happy Training!