Amended Statute Addresses Staffing Needs

By: Marianna J. Michael

On July 14, 2022, HB252 became law and introduced several amendments to KRS 244.090. The most significant change permits employees who are 18 years of age to serve alcohol so long as they are under the supervision of someone who is 20 years of age or older. Previously, the law required employees to be 20 years of age or older to serve alcohol. It is important to note that this change does not permit 18 year olds to bartend. HB252 amended KRS 244.090 to clarify that employees must still be 20 years of age or older to bartend.

Further, the law permits 18 year old employees to work in alcohol wholesaler or distributor warehouses so long as the warehouse does not engage in the sale or service of alcoholic beverages. In the warehouse setting, the 18 year old employee must be supervised by an employee who is 21 years of age or older. These changes were codified in an effort to address staffing needs that restaurants and distributors continue to face in light of widespread staffing shortages. The amended statute can be found here.