When Should Your Restaurant Employee Call In Sick? Six Best Practices for Operators
Employee illness is one of the most important food safety issues every restaurant operator needs to take seriously.
A sick food employee can contaminate food, food-contact surfaces, equipment and other employees—potentially putting your customers and your entire operation at risk.
The National Restaurant Association recently highlighted six important best practices for restaurant operators when dealing with sick employees. These recommendations are consistent with the employee-health principles taught through ServSafe and are based on FDA Food Code requirements for controlling the spread of foodborne illness.
For restaurant owners, managers and Person in Charge (PIC) employees, the message is simple:
If an employee is sick, don't take chances with food safety.
1. Know When an Employee Must Call In Sick
Employees should be instructed to notify management before coming to work when they are experiencing symptoms that could contribute to foodborne illness.
Important symptoms include:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Jaundice
Sore throat with fever
Infected wounds or boils containing pus, particularly on the hands, wrists or exposed arms
These symptoms should never be ignored simply because the restaurant is short-staffed.
A strong employee illness policy should clearly tell workers who to contact, when to contact them and what symptoms must be reported. The National Restaurant Association recommends that employees experiencing vomiting or diarrhea be excused from work because these symptoms can rapidly spread foodborne pathogens.
2. Vomiting and Diarrhea Should Be Taken Seriously
Vomiting and diarrhea are two of the biggest warning signs restaurant managers need to recognize.
Why?
Because pathogens such as Norovirus can spread extremely easily through an infected food employee.
ServSafe guidance emphasizes sending individuals with suspected Norovirus illness home and keeping them away from work for 48 hours after symptoms have ended.
The National Restaurant Association's current guidance also recommends that employees experiencing vomiting or diarrhea remain away from work until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, or have appropriate medical clearance when required by applicable regulations.
This is an important distinction: restaurant operators should not assume that one universal return-to-work rule applies to every illness, employee or jurisdiction.
Always follow the requirements of your state and local regulatory authority.
3. Understand High-Risk Foodborne Pathogens
Some illnesses require much more than simply waiting until an employee "feels better."
Restaurant managers should understand the serious foodborne pathogens commonly addressed in food safety training, including:
Norovirus
Nontyphoidal Salmonella
Shigella
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
Hepatitis A
Salmonella Typhi
If an employee reports a diagnosis involving one of these pathogens, management should immediately follow its employee health policy and applicable health department requirements.
Depending on the illness and circumstances, the employee may need medical documentation or approval from the regulatory authority before returning to unrestricted food work.
This is one reason having a written employee health policy is so important.
4. Do Not Ignore Jaundice
Yellowing of the skin or eyes—known as jaundice—requires immediate attention.
Jaundice can be associated with Hepatitis A, a serious foodborne illness that can be transmitted by infected food employees.
If an employee reports jaundice, management should take the situation seriously, remove the employee from food duties as required and follow the appropriate medical and regulatory procedures before allowing the employee to return.
A manager should never make a casual decision such as:
"You look better today, so you can work."
Employee health decisions involving reportable illnesses should be handled according to your written policy, current Food Code requirements and local health department direction.
5. Sore Throat With Fever Can Also Require Action
A sore throat by itself may not necessarily mean an employee needs to leave work.
But a sore throat accompanied by a fever is a condition that foodservice operators need to address.
Restaurants serving highly susceptible populations—such as certain healthcare or childcare settings—have additional considerations.
In other foodservice operations, the employee may need to be restricted from food handling until medically cleared or until the applicable symptoms have resolved.
Your Person in Charge should know your operation's requirements before an employee becomes sick.
6. Protect Food From Infected Wounds and Boils
Employees with infected wounds or boils should not handle exposed food unless the wound is properly protected according to food safety requirements.
This is particularly important when the wound is located on the hands, wrists or exposed arms.
A proper covering may need to include an impermeable cover or waterproof bandage and, when required, a single-use glove.
Remember:
Gloves do not replace proper handwashing or good employee health practices.
How Long Should an Employee Stay Home?
This is one of the most common questions restaurant operators ask.
The answer depends on the symptoms, diagnosis, type of operation and applicable state or local regulations.
For example, ServSafe materials have long emphasized keeping employees with suspected Norovirus illness away from work for 48 hours after symptoms stop.
For an employee who simply experienced vomiting or diarrhea without a confirmed diagnosis, the applicable return-to-work requirement may be different.
And when an employee has been diagnosed with a specific foodborne pathogen—such as Salmonella or STEC—additional restrictions or regulatory clearance may apply.
Never create a return-to-work policy based solely on a general internet rule.
Your written employee health policy should be based on the current Food Code and the requirements of your local regulatory authority.
Why Employee Illness Policies Matter During a Health Inspection
Food safety isn't just about cooking temperatures, refrigeration and sanitizing.
Employee health is a major part of food safety.
The FDA identifies employee health controls as one of the key public health interventions in the Food Code. The 2026 Food Code specifically addresses employee health, including exclusion and restriction requirements for food employees.
Restaurant managers should have a clear policy that explains:
Which symptoms employees must report
Who employees should notify
When employees must stay home
When employees can return
When medical clearance may be necessary
When the health department may need to be contacted
What managers should do if an employee becomes sick during a shift
How potentially contaminated food should be handled
How vomiting or diarrhea incidents should be cleaned and disinfected
A written policy helps eliminate confusion when a real situation occurs.
What Should a Restaurant Manager Do When an Employee Says, "I'm Sick"?
Don't panic.
Don't simply tell the employee to "take the day off."
Instead:
1. Ask the employee what symptoms they are experiencing.
2. Document the report according to your employee health policy.
3. Determine whether the employee should be excluded or restricted.
4. Prevent the employee from handling food when required.
5. Follow your local health department requirements.
6. Determine whether food, equipment or food-contact surfaces may have been contaminated.
7. Clean and disinfect affected areas using appropriate procedures.
8. Document the incident and any corrective action.
This is exactly where proper food safety training becomes extremely valuable.
ServSafe Food Safety Training Helps Managers Make Better Decisions
ServSafe training teaches restaurant managers and food employees the principles needed to reduce foodborne illness risks, including employee health, personal hygiene, handwashing, preventing contamination and controlling food safety hazards.
The goal isn't simply to pass a certification exam.
The goal is to create a food safety culture where employees understand that protecting the customer comes before coming to work sick.
Need Help Strengthening Your Restaurant's Food Safety Program?
At Westchester Food Safety, Frank provides practical food safety training and support for restaurants throughout Westchester County, Fairfield County and Connecticut.
If your restaurant needs more than a basic food safety class, we can help identify weaknesses before they become expensive problems.
Our services can include:
Food safety training
ServSafe Food Manager certification
Employee food safety training
Mock health inspections
Food safety assessments
Customized training for your restaurant
Corrective-action training after an inspection
Employee hygiene and illness training
And if your inspection reveals more than a quick fix, we can organize a customized training session around the specific problems found in your establishment.
We can focus the training on the areas your employees actually need to improve—from employee illness reporting and handwashing to cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, temperature control and proper food handling.
Don't Wait Until the Health Inspector Finds the Problem.
Frank can work with your team to develop practical food safety procedures designed around your operation.
Protect your customers. Protect your reputation. Protect your business.
Food Safety Starts With You.
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