A food employee reports jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes) that started 5 days ago. What is the person in charge required to do?

Explanation

California Retail Food Code HSC §113949.1 requires the person in charge to EXCLUDE — not merely restrict — any food employee with jaundice that has onset in the past 7 days, and to report the case to the local health department. Jaundice is the classic late symptom of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection; HAV is one of the Big 6 reportable pathogens, transmitted fecal-orally, and has caused multiple California restaurant outbreaks resulting in mass post-exposure vaccination campaigns. The 7-day onset window matters because HAV is most contagious in the 2 weeks BEFORE jaundice appears and remains contagious for about a week after, so a recently-jaundiced worker is still shedding virus. Option A endangers customers. Option B is non-compliant because exclusion (full removal from premises) is required, not just restriction to back-of-house. Option D underestimates HAV's infectious period — 24 hours of rest does nothing to eliminate viral shedding. Medical clearance is mandatory before return; HAV antibody testing or proof of recovery is the standard documentation.