Which symptoms require a food handler to stay home from work?

Staying home from work when experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, or having a diagnosed foodborne illness is crucial for ensuring food safety. These symptoms are directly linked to potential contamination of food, which can lead to the spread of illness within the community.

Vomiting and diarrhea are particularly concerning as they can quickly transmit pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. Jaundice is a significant indicator of liver conditions, which can also pose serious risks in food handling environments. If an individual has been diagnosed with a foodborne illness, it means they have pathogens that could easily be passed to others through the food they handle. Therefore, to protect public health, food handlers exhibiting any of these symptoms must refrain from working until they are fully recovered and cleared to return.

In contrast, symptoms like headache and fatigue, sore throat and runny nose, or minor cuts and scrapes generally do not pose the same immediate risk to food safety, as they are less likely to cause direct contamination of food items. Thus, they might not require a food handler to stay home, unless accompanied by more severe symptoms or other factors indicating a higher risk.