In this course, you will learn to: 

• Name and explain the three types of illegal alcohol sales and explain some of the penalties those sales can incur.
• Define and differentiate between the two kinds of laws covering liability for servers of alcohol.
• Understand what Iowa’s Dram Shop Law means and when a business can face legal trouble for serving alcohol to someone who is already intoxicated.
• Explain what can happen if an adult gives alcohol to someone under 21, and that person hurts someone or causes damage.
• Understand why it’s important to serve alcohol responsibly and follow the rules from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD).
• Define “affirmative defense” and how it can save you from civil liability.
• Define and explain the purpose of reasonable efforts and identify how your establishment might benefit from using reasonable efforts.
• Provide at least three examples of reasonable efforts.
• Recognize IDs that are acceptable as proof of age to consume or purchase alcohol.
• Use the three steps for properly checking an ID.
• Identify behaviors in guests that could be considered underage warning signs.
• Define Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) as it pertains to liquor liability laws.
• Identify your jurisdiction’s legal BAC limit for Driving While Intoxicated.
• Identify important pieces of information needed for proper documentation.
• Explain the benefits and purpose of the Incident Report Form and complete relevant forms for good documentation.
• Know when alcohol can and cannot be sold or served in Iowa, including state rules for daily hours of operation, and Sunday sales.
• Understand what actions are required by law, and those that are prohibited when selling or serving alcohol, such as giving alcohol to someone under 21, serving intoxicated people, refilling bottles, or using alcohol as a prize.
• Identify what minors can and cannot do with alcohol, including legal exceptions and consequences for possession.
• Recognize the possible penalties—like fines, suspensions, or losing a license—for breaking Iowa’s alcohol laws.
• Apply legal requirements related to serving situations in on-premise environments.
• Decide whether or not a guest can be served alcohol based on the legal age criteria.
• Define the four behavioral cues and recognize behavioral cues in your guests.
• Identify example behaviors that relate to each behavioral cue.
• Define the six intoxication rate factors.
• Understand how certain intoxication rate factors increase the risk that a person who is drinking will become intoxicated.
• Identify guests who are exhibiting “high-risk” intoxication rate factors.
• Relate behavioral cues and intoxication rate factors to Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).
• Understand what can lower a person's BAC level.
• Rely on cues and factors in addition to BAC when deciding whether or not to serve alcohol to a guest.
• List some tips and techniques to help your guests avoid drinking and driving.
• Evaluate guests for behavioral cues and intoxication rate factors.
• Decide whether or not you can serve alcohol to a guest based on his or her level of intoxication.
• Follow safe-service guidelines designed to help you avoid illegal alcohol sales.
• Determine relevant guidelines for a given serving situation and apply those guidelines successfully.
• Use guidelines designed to help you respond to difficult situations without escalation.
• Understand strategies that can help you assess your guest based on the legal and alcohol criteria.
• Consider four decision point questions before deciding whether or not to serve alcohol to any guest.
• Select from among four possible responses that can apply to any given serving situation.
• Choose the most appropriate response based on your assessment and answers to the four decision point questions.
• Assess guests in simulated situations using the legal and alcohol information.
• Choose and implement an appropriate response to a simulated situation, incorporating the safe-service and customer service guidelines.
  
   

Choose and implement an appropriate response to a simulated situation, incorporating the safe-service and customer service guidelines.

The course is broken down into three main sections:

• Legal Information
• Alcohol Information, and
• Intervention Information