A line cook tells the manager he was diagnosed with an E. coli (STEC) infection. What must the manager do?
a.Exclude the employee from the operation and notify the regulatory authority as required
b.Restrict him to washing dishes and bussing tables until his diarrhea has stopped for 24 hours
c.Keep him on the cook line as long as he wears single-use gloves and washes his hands often
d.Send him home for one shift and reinstate him once his symptoms disappear
Explanation
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli is one of the reportable 'Big Six' pathogens; an employee diagnosed with it must be excluded from the food establishment, not merely restricted to warewashing or other non-food duties, and the regulatory authority must be notified. The employee generally may not return until cleared under the Food Code's reinstatement criteria, so the end of symptoms alone does not earn a return to work. Gloves do not stop an infected worker from shedding this pathogen.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §2-201.11Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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