What symptom should food employees report to their manager?

Food employees are required to report specific symptoms that may indicate a communicable illness, especially those that could pose a risk of foodborne illness to customers. Vomiting and diarrhea are particularly concerning symptoms because they can be indicative of highly contagious diseases such as norovirus or other gastrointestinal infections. When employees exhibit these symptoms, there is a significant risk of contaminating food or surfaces, leading to potential outbreaks.

In the context of food safety, reporting these symptoms is crucial as it allows the management to take immediate actions, such as excluding the affected employee from work, ensuring proper hygiene practices, and assessing any potential risk to the food being prepared. This proactive reporting is an essential part of maintaining public health standards within the food service industry.

Other symptoms such as a headache, a runny nose, or fatigue may be less directly related to foodborne illnesses and do not inherently indicate that the employee is infectious or poses a risk to food safety. Hence, they typically do not require the same level of urgency regarding reporting compared to vomiting or diarrhea.