Tag: tam card

TAM® Cards for Teens – Training Available for Ages 16 and Up

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iStock_000003275965SmallThere is a common misconception that one must be 21 years old to obtain a TAM® Card, but in reality TAM® training is available to individuals ages 16 and up. Remember, anyone who works in sales and service of alcoholic beverages, or in security at establishments that serve or sell alcoholic beverages in Southern Nevada must obtain an alcohol awareness card (Nevada Revised Statutes). Many minors and young adults work in positions that may require them to have their cards. Examples include cashiering or clerking at grocery and convenience stores. Workers ages 16-17 may handle sealed alcoholic beverages such as wine bottles or beer cans if they are employed at these types of establishments, as long as they are supervised by an adult.

Rules are different for hospitality professionals working at on-premises locations, and this is often where the confusion about alcohol awareness training regulations comes in. One must be 21 years or older to serve alcohol for consumption on the premises. In other words, if you work in a bar, restaurant, casino or other establishment where you are responsible for mixing or serving open alcoholic beverages, you must be of legal drinking age yourself. Additionally, one must also be 21 or older to be allowed inside a casino. These rules are applicable to individuals in positions such as bartenders, waiters, cocktail servers, etc.

Need help making sure you or your staff is in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations? Learn more about laws and regulations for servers and sellers of alcoholic beverages in Nevada and complete your mandatory alcohol awareness training with TAM®. Laws and statutes can be confusing because they are at the state, county, and city levels; and yes, there are additional gaming regulations in some cases. TAM training will cover all of these laws with you and make sure you understand the ways to reduce your risk and liability. Also remember to follow the rules of conduct laid out by your employer. Many companies have additional policies to maintain guest and employee safety, so make sure to check with your manager or supervisor about any extra procedures in place.

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New to Nevada? You’ll Need to Get Your Work Cards

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Las Vegas WelcomeWelcome to lovely Las Vegas! Every year, new residents are drawn to Nevada by the chance to work in the vibrant hospitality industry. What they may not know is that there are special local work requirements in many industries. Before working in Nevada in the hotel, gaming, food and beverage industries, you must obtain 3 different cards to show you’ve met certain training and background check requirements – a TAM® Card, a Food Handler Card, and a Work Card. Read on to learn more about each!

  • A TAM® Card, also called an alcohol awareness card or a drink card is required for anyone who works at an establishment where they sell or serve alcoholic beverages, and also for security guards. This includes cashiers who check I.D. anTAM Cardd sell beer and wine products. To get a TAM Card, you take a short alcohol awareness course online or in the classroom at TAM of Nevada. You’ll get your card right after taking your final exam. The process is simple, and TAM employees are in the office six days a week to help you get your card in the most convenient way possible! Enroll in an online or classroom course now.
  • A Food Handler Card, sometimes also referred to as a Health Card, is required for anyone who works in a food establishment such as a restaurant or bar. This includes kitchen staff, servers, managers, and anyone who could come into contact with food, ice, beverages, utensils, etc. To get a Food Handler Card, you may review online training information at the Nevada Health District website, and then visit their office to take the required test and pick up your card.
  • Work Cards, sometimes also referred to as Sheriffs Cards, have been a requirement for employees in the gaming industry since the 1940’s. Employees are required to obtain this card for all positions in a gaming establishment and many other work places. The purpose of the Work Card is to document, investigate and license all employees of the gaming industry. Unlike TAM® and Food Handler Cards, you cannot obtain a Work Card before you have landed a job. Work Cards are issued by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. You’ll get a work card application from your prospective employer, and will be fingerprinted by the police department as a part of the application process. For more information, visit the LVMPD website.

Good luck in your new position and remember that both TAM and Food Handler Cards expire after a certain number of years. Check your expiration dates and remember to visit the proper offices to repeat training and obtain your replacement cards as needed!

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!

Five Reno Businesses Fail Alcohol Compliance Check

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third party sales dangersThis past Saturday marked Reno’s Wine Walk event, and several businesses were cited for serving minors. The Reno area’s Regional Street Enforcement Team, comprised of area police departments, conducts regular alcohol compliance and TAM Card checks. On Saturday, the Team sent two 19 year-old volunteers out to attempt alcohol purchases at twelve area businesses. This time around, five of the twelve businesses made sales to the minors.

The penalties can be severe. In Nevada, serving alcohol to a minor and allowing a minor into a bar are misdemeanors, with a pre-designated fine of $500. Here are some tips for keeping things safe and legal:

  • Get your mandatory TAM® Card and alcohol awareness training. TAM® will train you on how to correctly check identification and how to spot fake, borrowed, or altered ID. Police officers may ask to see your alcohol awareness card during an alcohol compliance check, so it is important to be prepared.
  • Check ID very carefully, and look for any inconsistencies. Watch for anyone who seems either nervous, or over confident. When checking the birth date of a customer, don’t rely only on the birth year alone to confirm someone is of legal drinking age. Minors may try to pull a fast one on busy or distracted workers by purchasing alcohol just a few months or weeks shy of their 21st birthdays.
  • A hole punched into a driver license renders it invalid for identification purposes. The Nevada DMV may hole-punch driver licenses and identification cards when someone renews their license, transfers an out-of-state license, or a variety of other scenarios. The DMV will mail the new license to the individual, so this is just a temporary situation for license holders. The DMV will issue a temporary paper document with information matching the punched-out driver license. This document only serves as a confirmation that the application is pending; it is not a form of identification (Nevada DMV). Check with your employer for company policy on acceptable ID policy. Cautious businesses might want to request another form of valid identification such as a passport or military ID.

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