When Can a Sick Food Worker Return?

When can a sick food worker come back to work?

With no diagnosis, they come back after 24 hours with no vomiting or diarrhea. A doctor's note that it isn't catching also works (FDA Food Code 2-201.13). A Big 6 diagnosis, like norovirus or hepatitis A, needs county health department approval before any food work again.

Workers come back only when the germ they had can no longer spread through food.

How long after symptoms stop can they come back?

Vomiting or diarrhea, no diagnosis: 24 hours with no symptoms, or a doctor's note that it isn't catching.
Sore throat with fever: a doctor's note (24+ hours of antibiotics, a negative throat culture, or cleared by the doctor).
Pus-filled sore: once it is covered the right way (bandage plus glove on hands).

Sources: Food Code 2-201.13

What if a doctor diagnosed norovirus or hepatitis A?

Any of the Big 6 diagnosed by a doctor: the county health department must approve before food work again, plus the condition below.
Hepatitis A or jaundice: plus one of: jaundice began more than 7 days ago; other symptoms began more than 14 days ago; or a doctor's note saying you are free of hepatitis A.
Typhoid (Salmonella Typhi): plus a written doctor's note saying you are free of the infection.
Norovirus: plus a doctor's note, or 48 hours after symptoms end (or 48 hours after diagnosis if you had no symptoms).
Shigella: plus two negative stool tests taken 24+ hours apart (starting 48+ hours after antibiotics), or 7 days after symptoms end (or after diagnosis if no symptoms).
STEC: plus two negative stool tests 24+ hours apart (starting 48+ hours after antibiotics), or 7 days after symptoms end (or after diagnosis if no symptoms).
Nontyphoidal Salmonella: plus two negative stool tests 24+ hours apart, or 30 days after symptoms end (or after diagnosis if no symptoms).
Until then, after 24 hours with no symptoms, norovirus, Shigella or STEC may do non-food tasks, unless a highly susceptible group is served.

Sources: Food Code 2-201.13(A)-(G)

Where do the doctor's notes go?

Keep doctor's notes and county approvals in confidential records.
On a shared screen, yes or no is enough. Don't type medical details.

Sources: Source protocols: keep any doctor's note or county approval in the confidential records · Source protocols: incident first steps (don't type medical details)

The rules behind it

Employee health: report, exclude, restrict. Food workers report vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, pus-filled sores, Big 6 diagnoses and exposures; the person in charge excludes or restricts. Food Code 2-201.11, 2-201.12, 2-201.13; R392-102-15(4)