Washington § 66.44.318 - Employees or interns aged eighteen to twenty-one handling, transporting, and possessing beer and wine — Wine production.

(1) Except as provided in this section, nothing is construed to permit a nonretail class liquor licensee's employee or intern between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years to handle, transport, or otherwise possess liquor.

(2) Licensees holding nonretail class liquor licenses are permitted to allow their employees between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years to stock, merchandise, and handle liquor on or about the:

(a) Nonretail premises if there is an adult twenty-one years of age or older on duty supervising such activities on the premises; and

(b) Retail licensee's premises, except between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., as long as there is an adult twenty-one years of age or older, employed by the retail licensee, and present at the retail licensee's premises during the activities described in this subsection (2).

(3) Employees of a domestic winery who are at least age 18 but under 21 years of age may engage in wine production and work in a winery's production facility, so long as there is an adult age 21 years of age or older on duty supervising such activities on the premises. Nothing in this subsection authorizes a winery employee under age 21 to taste, consume, sell, or serve wine or liquor.

(4) Any act or omission of the nonretail class liquor licensee's employee occurring at or about the retail licensee's premises, which violates any provision of this title, is the sole responsibility of the nonretail class liquor licensee.

(5) Nothing in this section absolves the retail licensee from responsibility for the acts or omissions of its own employees who violate any provision of this title.

(6)(a) Licensees holding a domestic winery license are permitted to allow their interns who are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years old to engage in wine-production related work at the domestic winery's licensed location, so long as the intern is enrolled as a student:

(i) At a community or technical college, regional university, or state university with a special permit issued in accordance with RCW 66.20.010; and

(ii) In a required or elective class as part of a degree program identified in *RCW 66.20.010(12)(b).

(b) Any act or omission of the domestic winery's intern occurring at or about the domestic winery's premises, which violates any provision of this title, is the sole responsibility of the domestic winery.

*Reviser's note: RCW 66.20.010 was amended by 2025 c 167 s 1, changing subsection (12)(b) to subsection (11)(b).