Food Employee Illness Guidelines
**These illnesses should be recorded on an illness log and/or reported to your local health department.
These guidelines are to be used as a resource only. If you have specific questions, contact MDH or your health department. Revision Date: 3/17/2010
Illness Symptoms Action Guidance
Conditions
Action / Return-to-Work Criteria for
Foodworkers
Other Information
Sore Throat
Reinforce good handwashing. Emphasize no bare-
hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. Discuss
employee illness reporting procedure and the ways ill
foodworkers can spread illness through food.
If sore throat is accompanied by a cough or fever, see
“Influenza”.
Also see “Influenza”.
Staphylococcus skin
infection
(Staph or
MRSA)
Open wounds on hands or arms must be covered
with an impermeable bandage and a single-use
glove. Open or draining wounds on other parts of the
body must be covered by a dry, durable, tight-fitting
bandage. Situations in which an open or draining
wound cannot be properly and effectively covered
should be addressed with the health department.
Staphylococcus bacteria can cause serious skin infections
which can be transmitted through food and cause serious
foodborne illness. Contamination of food can occur if a person
with draining lesions on the hands or forearms handles foods
or food contact surfaces.
Streptococcal
Infection
(Strep throat/scarlet
fever)
Reinforce good handwashing, emphasize no bare-
hand contact with ready-to-eat foods; and discuss
employee illness reporting procedure, and the ways ill
foodworkers can spread illness through food.
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause serious skin
infections. The term MRSA refers to a Staphylococcus skin
infection that is resistant to certain antibiotics. Staph skin
infections are not foodborne; however, contamination of food
products with the bacteria can occur and result in food
poisoning.
Tuberculosis
(TB)
Food employees experiencing persistent sneezing,
coughing, or a runny nose that causes discharge
from the eyes, nose, or mouth may not work with
exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, or linens; or
unwrapped single-service or single-use articles.
Tuberculosis is not transmitted to patrons through food;
however, like any other work place, infectious food handlers
may transmit their disease to fellow workers. A worker with
active tuberculosis can spread the disease by sneezing or
coughing, which are tuberculosis’ most common symptoms.