The city council for Iowa City, IA is currently discussing an ordinance that would make it illegal for employees of liquor-licensed establishments to have a blood alcohol content above .02%; the police would be given the authority to subject all such employees (including kitchen staff, and other employees who don't even handle the booze) to breathalyzer tests. One attorney for the Iowa ACLU has already said on the record that this is a violation of 4th amendment rights, is this true? Additionally, if police enter the kitchen does the chef have the right to demand that the officer wear hair restraints, slip resistant shoes and rubber gloves while present to meet health code and minimize liability? Finally, the owner of the pub and restaurant that I work at (which has 130+ beers available) has the following concerns: 1. His staff needs to know what all of the beers taste like, he believes that staff recommendations are a form of advertising, and that a precedent that does not permit the limitation of advertising under the 1st amendment has already been set. 2. For quality control purposes his bartenders must be able to taste beer and wine, if a customer says something doesn't taste right the bartender should be able to verify this before deciding whether to discard a full keg/bottle. 3. Because the law applies to any employee on duty, it would mean that the owner, or any manager who is on call would effectively be prohibited from drinking permanently, if the boss gets a call because there is a fire in the store and he had been drinking a glass of wine at his private residence, responding to the situation would potentially incriminate him.
I appreciate all of the insight I can get on this matter! thank you
I appreciate all of the insight I can get on this matter! thank you
