Nobody wants to find out that their food has been handled by someone sick with vomiting or diarrhea. The thought of eating food prepared or served by an ill food
employee is more than unappetizing—it’s frightening. Unfortunately, reports show that 12% of food workers admit to having worked when they were sick. Perhaps you aren’t sure when to tell your manager that you are too sick to come in. Let’s take a look at some things that should help you identify what your manager needs to know concerning your
illness. Show When should a food worker call in sick?If you’re not sure when to notify your manager of your sickness versus “tough it out” and go to work, here is your answer. The FDA Food Code lists the following as symptoms that must be reported by food handlers to their managers: vomiting, infected sores, diarrhea, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or a sore throat accompanied by a fever. It is possible that you have a longer list of reasons to work than to call in sick. You may feel that you are being a responsible worker by keeping the truth from your manager. According to research, the number one reason that food employees work while sick is to help with the large workload of the restaurant. However, these are the facts—every year nearly 48 million people in the United States get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. If you are sick or recovering from any of the symptoms above, you should stay home to avoid spreading a foodborne illness. The Big 5 foodborne illnessesIn addition to reporting symptoms, you must notify your manager if you have been diagnosed with one of the “Big 5” infections. The “Big 5” are five of the most common pathogens that are easily transmitted through food and cause severe foodborne illness. These five pathogens are: Shigella, E. Coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus. If you are aware that you have been exposed to one of the “Big 5,” even if you do not suspect yourself of being ill, it is best to let your manager know. As the old saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. You won’t be doing anyone a favor by passing along a foodborne illness. Food safety managersThe food safety principles taught in this article are captured in our Feeling Sick? Poster. Print the poster and use it to review this critical message with your staff. Let them know how important it is to protect customers from foodborne illness carried by sick food handlers. Hang the poster in areas of your work establishment where employees will see it, like the break room or next to a handwashing sink. Encourage food employees to acknowledge their illnesses and reassure them that there will be no pressures to work while ill. Remind employees that you are depending on them to take responsibility to report their symptoms. It is imperative for food employees not to go to work when they are sick. So . . . feeling sick? You know what you need to do. If you can’t remember the symptoms to report to your manager, consult the poster. It can be difficult to miss work, but please remember that foodborne diseases kill thousands of Americans each year. You are responsible for the safety of those you serve. To learn more food handler safe practices, check out our Food Handler Training! Share our poster with others!
— Ariel Jensen Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2016 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness. Empower Employees Through Food Safety TrainingFood workers who go to work sick are a major cause of foodborne illness outbreaks. Use this training to teach your employees the importance of reporting symptoms and staying home from work when they are sick. Learning ObjectivesYou may choose to read these learning objectives with your employees as a part of the stand-up training. After this training, employees will be able to:
The FactsYou may choose to read these facts with your employees as a part of the stand-up training.
Training ActivitiesChoose the activities that will be most beneficial for your employees. Modify them as needed to fit the training needs of your establishment. The “Why” of Reporting IllnessDiscuss: Why is it important to report when you are sick? Do you remember which illnesses and symptoms you need to report before your shift begins? Watch: When to Stay Home video Display (optional): Hang up the Feeling Sick? poster near the time clock or door to remind your employees which symptoms to report before their shift begins. Symptoms ScenariosDiscuss: For which symptoms would you need to stay home? For which symptoms would you be assigned to work away from food? Watch (optional): Do I Need to Stay Home? video scenarios Analyze: If you are watching the video scenarios, pause the video before the answers are revealed so that your employees can guess what needs to happen. If you prefer, you can present your own food worker illness scenarios for employees to analyze. Display (optional): Display the Food Worker Illness Flowchart poster as a reminder for when a sick employee would need to stay home. If your establishment serves a highly susceptible population, stricter policies may apply. What Is Our Policy?Review: Review the employee health policy at your establishment. Discuss: Who should you contact when you are ill? How do we organize covering for a sick coworker’s shift? Invite: Ask employees to share their questions and concerns about the policy. Emphasize the importance of reporting illness honestly and staying home to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. Following UpIf you suspect that an employee has come to work sick, approach them with a direct but sympathetic attitude. Express concern for their well-being and ask about their symptoms. If necessary, ask the employee to go home or reassign them to duties away from exposed food and food-contact surfaces. For example, you could assign an employee with a sore throat and a fever to clean floors and windows or to operate the cash register. Be careful not to punish employees for reporting when they are sick. It’s important that you send them home or restrict their work duties when appropriate, but do not express frustration with them. If employees feel that reporting illness will threaten their job security, they may not be honest with you about their symptoms. Make sure your shift managers and supervisors can answer questions that other employees may have about reporting symptoms and illnesses. Encourage employees to ask questions when they need help instead of guessing at the right answer. As needed, review this training with your employees. Training ResourcesThe When to Stay Home video describes what illnesses and symptoms must be reported to a food manager to keep customers safe. View the Spanish version of this video: Cuando Quedarse en Casa. The Do I Need to Stay Home? video scenarios present four hypothetical situations when food workers are feeling sick and aren’t sure if they should come to work. Pause the video to let your employees decide whether to tell the food workers “yes” or “no” and then resume the video to see what happens. View the Spanish version of this video: ¿Debo Quedarme en Casa? Print out the free Feeling Sick? poster and post it in the break area to remind food workers which symptoms they should report. The Food Worker Illness Flowchart poster is a handy resource to help managers remember when they should exclude or restrict a sick food worker. Answer the questions on the chart to arrive at the course of action recommended in the FDA Food Code. Note this resource does not cover when you should exclude or restrict employees if your establishment primarily serves a highly susceptible population. Did you use this stand-up training in your establishment? We’d love to get your feedback! Take a minute to do our feedback survey. — Alyssa Erickson |