Title 4.1. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control
Chapter 3. Prohibited Practices; Penalties; Procedural Matters
§ 4.1-325.2. Prohibited acts by employees of wine or beer licensees; penalty.
A. In addition to the provisions of § 4.1-324, no retail wine or beer licensee or his agent or employee shall consume any alcoholic beverages while on duty and in a position that is involved in the selling or serving of alcoholic beverages to customers.
The provisions of this subsection shall not prohibit any retail licensee or his designated employee from (i) consuming product samples or sample servings of beer or wine provided by a representative of a licensed beer or wine wholesaler or manufacturer, if such samples are provided in accordance with Board regulations and the retail licensee or his designated employee does not violate the provisions of subdivision A 1 f of § 4.1-225 or (ii) tasting an alcoholic beverage that has been or will be delivered to a customer for quality control purposes.
B. For the purposes of subsection A, a wine or beer wholesaler or farm winery licensee or its employees that participate in a wine or beer tasting sponsored by a retail wine or beer licensee shall not be deemed to be agents of the retail wine or beer licensee.
C. No retail wine or beer licensee, or his agent or employee shall make any gift of an alcoholic beverage, other than as a gift made (i) to a personal friend, as a matter of normal social intercourse, so long as the gift is in no way a shift or device to evade the restriction set forth in this subsection; (ii) to a person responsible for the planning, preparation or conduct on any conference, convention, trade show or event held or to be held on the premises of the licensee, when such gift is made in the course of usual and customary business entertainment and is in no way a shift or device to evade the restriction set forth in this subsection; (iii) pursuant to subsection C of § 4.1-209; (iv) pursuant to subdivision A 10 of § 4.1-201; or (v) pursuant to any Board regulation. Any gift permitted by this subsection shall be subject to the taxes imposed by this subtitle on sales of alcoholic beverages. The licensee shall keep complete and accurate records of gifts given in accordance with this subsection.
D. Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $500.
2002, c. 105; 2003, c. 856; 2006, cc. 256, 826; 2013, c. 661; 2015, cc. 404, 604; 2017, c. 154; 2020, cc. 1113, 1114; 2023, cc. 213, 214, 774.
