Tag: nevada

Working at a salon or barber shop? Soon you may need a TAM Card.

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hair_salon_beer_wineSelling salon customers a glass of wine or a beer might be permitted soon in Clark County. The County is considering a plan that would allow salons and barber shops to apply for an ‘ancillary drink permit’ that would allow for the sale of two servings at a time of beer or wine.

Many visitors to Nevada are looking for this service, which they are more familiar with in their hometowns. At least seven states have approved alcohol service at salons, barbershops and spas, according to the National Conference of State Legislators (Las Vegas Sun). Many business owners see the value in creating a full-service relaxing experience for their salon guests. They see the chance to add another source of revenue to their businesses, and to offer something fun and unique to their customers.

If the measure passes, what would that mean for employees who sell or serve alcohol in these salons and barbershops? In Clark County, anyone who works in a position where they serve alcoholic beverages to customers is required to take an alcohol awareness course and obtain a TAM® Card. County Commissioners will next meet on March 6th to continue discussing the proposal. If approved, you can be sure that we will be happy to provide alcohol awareness training for all of your employees.

To learn more about safe beverage service, you can take our online Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM)® course.

What do you think? Would you like to see salons and barbershops in the Las Vegas area begin offering beer and wine?

Resources

County considers beer, wine sales at hair salons – Las Vegas Sun

Can I See Your I.D? What You Can and Can’t Accept As Valid Identification

Published on by TAM of Nevada6 Comments

Nevada_DL_AdultI.D. checking is one of the most important jobs of a hospitality professional. Checking I.D. keeps patrons safe, and it keeps things legal. Here at the TAM of Nevada office, we often get questions from students about which documents can be used as valid forms of identification for the purpose of selling alcohol. In a town like Las Vegas, full of tourists from around the world, with varying forms of I.D., do you know what you can accept?

Valid identification must be government-issued, contain the person’s photo, contain their birth date, and not be expired. Depending on the type of I.D. being presented, and which state or country it is issued from, it may also contain other information such as signature, mailing address, or gender. Nevada driver licenses, for example, also contain a signature.

Accepted forms of I.D. include:

  • Driver License or State Identification Card – These are the most commons forms of I.D. that hospitality professionals will be presented with.
  • Military ID – You may also see these, particularly around military bases.
  • Passport or Immigration Card – A passport is another common form of identification, particularly in a tourist town such as Las Vegas. Likewise, a Green Card (permanent resident card) is also acceptable I.D.

Forms of I.D. that are NOT acceptable for making alcohol sales include:

  • Concealed Firearm Permit – While a concealed weapon permit is a form of state-issued identification, it is not an acceptable identification for serving or selling alcohol. According to Nevada law at NRS 202.3653 – 202.369, Concealed Firearm Permits are valid for a period of 5 years and can be renewed for additional 5 year periods. A permit holder must carry the permit together with proper identification whenever they are in actual possession of the concealed firearm(s). For I.D. checking purposes, the permit is only good when you are also carrying another acceptable form of identification, so the point is moot for alcohol sales. A gun permit holder must also have another form of identification on their person. If you are presented with a concealed firearm permit to check I.D., simply ask to see their driver license or other form of identification.
  • Driver’s Authorization Card (DAC) – In Nevada, a Driver’s Authorization Card looks like a lot like driver’s license, but is not valid for serving alcohol, entering facilities where I.D. is required, or boarding an airplane.
  • Student ID, TAM® Card, and other non-government issued Photo I.D. – While a valid TAM® Card includes a photo of the card holder, that’s not enough to confirm identification. The same holds for student I.D.s and similar forms of membership identification.

When in doubt or if you have questions about I.D. checking, speak with your supervisor and review company policy for acceptable forms of identification. Your establishment may have an identification guide like the I.D. Checking Guide  for you to use – this will show you what to look for on various forms of I.D. to confirm authenticity. Additionally, your TAM® alcohol awareness class will teach you how to spot valid and bogus identification. For more information, visit our blog post on I.D. checking.

Questions or feedback? Head to the Comments section below and let us know about your I.D. checking experiences!

Sobriety Checkpoints in Nevada – Are They Legal and Do They Help Prevent Drunk Driving?

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DUI Checkpoint signEvery day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, about one death every 51 minutes (CDC). Thankfully, there are measures that can help prevent injuries and deaths from alcohol-impaired driving.

Drunk driving is a serious concern in Nevada, and police agencies are always hard at work to remind retailers and beverage servers to do their part to make sure patrons are not over served, and at risk for getting behind the wheel. Another one of the front line defenses used to combat drunk drivers on Nevada roads is the use of sobriety (DUI) checkpoints. These are locations where law enforcement officers are stationed roadside to check drivers for signs of impairment. Many jurisdictions utilize sobriety checkpoints as part of their larger drunk driving deterrence programs.

Instructors at TAM® of Nevada often receive questions from students in our classes about the legality of sobriety checkpoints. The fact is sobriety checkpoints are legal and useful in Nevada, and they are not going away anytime soon.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 38 states, the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands all conduct sobriety checkpoints (GHSA.org). Further, the Las Vegas Review Journal recently published an article explaining the legality of sobriety checkpoints in Nevada. They point out that checkpoints are completely legal as long as they follow specific requirements established by Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 484.B570. To read the full explanation, refer to the article, “Ask a Lawyer: DUI checkpoints – Are they legal and what are your rights?”

As a beverage service professional, you have a moral responsibility to support law enforcement efforts to prevent drunk driving – sobriety checkpoints and other tactics. What can you do help prevent customers from driving while impaired? The first defense for sales professionals is a thorough knowledge of local and state laws, and mandatory alcohol awareness training from TAM® of Nevada. For more tips on how to help prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel, check out our blog post “Are You Doing All You Can to Prevent Drunk Driving?”

Sources

Spring Has Sprung – What’s New at the TAM® Office

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TAM CardSpring has sprung in Las Vegas, and as we go into a new season, we’d like to take the opportunity to let you know what we’re up to at the TAM® office. We’re keeping busy with our regularly scheduled online and classroom courses, along with a handful of other special events. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new and exciting:

  • TAM® Card classes are available across Nevada. In addition to online and classroom-based TAM® class offerings six days a week at our Las Vegas office, we are also offering classes and online exam proctoring in Mesquite at the Virgin River Hotel and Casino on the third Wednesday of every month. Proctoring for online students is also available in Laughlin every Thursday from 8:30am-12:00pm at the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce building in the Manpower office. Proctoring for online students is also available in the Reno/Sparks area by appointment. For more information on the schedule, visit our website.
  • Spanish classes are offered at our Las Vegas office. TAM® classes are offered in Spanish on the third Thursday of every month at 9:00am. Students are asked to arrive at 8:30am to register for their class. Additionally, with our classroom-based training option, we offer students the opportunity to complete their final exam in English, Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, or Korean. Students with English as a Second Language can focus on what they have learned without the additional hurdle of English literacy.

Additionally, here are some general reminders and answers to common questions from our students:

  • Walk-ins for TAM® classes are always welcome at our Las Vegas office, but sometimes our classes do fill up, so make sure to arrive 15 minutes before class starts!
  • If you’re looking for our building, we’re located at 3900 Paradise Road, Ste. 205. You’ll find us in the office building at the Park shopping plaza on Paradise Road, between Flamingo and Twain. You can find our building directly behind the Citibank.
  • Our office is easily accessible by public transportation. Bus stop #108 lets passengers off right across the street! If you are driving, convenient parking for students is available on the side and rear of the building. Handicap parking is available in the rear of the building, and elevator access is available. Parking in the front of the building is limited-time parking only.

For answers to more frequently asked questions, check out our blog post, “Have Questions About Your TAM Card? We’ve Got Answers!” We look forward to seeing you at our office this season.