A food employee tells the person in charge that they have a sore throat AND fever of 101°F. The facility serves a Highly Susceptible Population (HSP) — a senior assisted-living dining hall. What is the correct action?

Explanation

FDA Food Code 2-201.11(B) and CRFC HSC §113949.1 require differential treatment of sore throat with fever based on the population served. In a standard restaurant, sore throat with fever is a RESTRICTION (the employee may be reassigned to non-food-contact work). In a Highly Susceptible Population (HSP) facility — defined as nursing homes, assisted-living, hospitals, daycare, preschool — the same symptom triggers full EXCLUSION because the residents are immunocompromised or otherwise at elevated risk from Group A Streptococcus, the bacterium most often associated with febrile pharyngitis. Option A is non-compliant in any setting because the symptom requires at minimum a restriction. Option B is the correct answer for a NON-HSP setting and is the trap distractor — students who do not catch the HSP keyword will choose it. Option C confuses exclusion with restriction; even with a negative strep test, the symptom-driven rule applies until the cause is determined. The employee may return when feverless without medical clearance, or with clearance if pathogen-confirmed.