User:Tax Fraud!/sandbox/ServSafe

This draft was written as part of an assignment.

ServSafe

ServSafe is a certificate-granting training program offered by the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The various certificates offered are accredited by the American National Standards Institute. In 2023, ServSafe received criticism for its monopoly on the food safety certification industry and the use of course fees from restaurant workers going towards lobbying efforts by the NRA.

Certifications and programs

There are four ServSafe certifications: ServSafe Food Safety Manager, ServSafe Food Handler, ServSafe Alcohol, and ServSafe Food Allergens. ServSafe also offers training programs for instructors, proctors, and course administrators. In a survey of managers with hiring responsibilities in the hospitality industry, the ServSafe Food Safety Manager certification was ranked as the second-most important culinary certification for both new graduates and industry professionals. Additionally, ServSafe sells workplace training programs on preventing sexual harassment, understanding unconscious bias, and third-party food delivery, called ServSafe Workplace.

Controversy

On January 17, 2023, The New York Times published an article alleging that ServSafe course fees, often paid for by workers themselves, were being used to pay for lobbying by the NRA to mandate training programs like theirs and lower minimum wage. The estimated $25 million earned through the training programs accounts for 2% of annual revenue of the NRA. The Washington Post reported on January 27 that a class-action lawsuit had been filed against the NRA in U.S. District Court.