The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed this Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook to encourage practices and behaviors that can help prevent food employees from spreading viruses and bacteria to food.

Exclude food employee from food establishment. Notify local health department or call 1-877-FOOD-ILL. Record illness on employee illness log. Health department clearance is required before the foodworker may return to work.

The handbook includes best practices and behaviors that can help prevent food employees from spreading bacteria and viruses, such as Salmonella and norovirus, that cause foodborne illness.

General Guidelines for Foodborne Illness in Food Handlers (Work Exclusion List) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines ‘Food employee’ as an individual working with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or food contact surfaces. This chart provides information about some communicable diseases that may occur in food handlers.