Ill food workers present a serious food safety risk. We explain what food business managers and employees need to know.

In this section

• Employee illness log
• Health policy requirements
• How to clean up
• Resources

Related

• Learn about foodborne illness outbreak investigations
• See our employee illness logs

Employee illness logs are required

You must keep an employee illness log. 

Use an illness log to record employees that have vomiting or diarrhea. 

• Make sure the employee waits at least 24 hours after symptoms end to return to work.
• Record the date the employee returns to work.

We have illness logs in several languages you can use. 

Find our employee illness logs

Person in Charge duties

The Person in Charge must:

• Make sure the business has an employee illness policy. 
• Train employees about the policy.
• Notify the Minnesota Department of Health if any food worker is diagnosed with a reportable illness. 

Reportable illnesses are:

• • Norovirus
  • Hepatitis A virus
  • Shiga toxin-producing E. coli
  • Shigella
  • Salmonella
  • Another bacterial, viral or parasitic pathogen

Find State requirements for reporting illnesses at food businesses

Employees

• Do not work in a food business when you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea.
• Tell the Person in Charge if you have vomiting or diarrhea.
• Tell the Person in Charge if you are diagnosed with a reportable illness. 
• Do not return to work until at least 24 hours after your symptoms end.

If a sick customer or employee vomits or has diarrhea in your business

• Clean up vomit and diarrhea right away.
  • Wear protective clothing, gloves and mask
  • Use absorbent material to soak up liquids
  • Do not vacuum
  • Use soapy water to wash surfaces that came into contact with vomit or diarrhea
  • Disinfect surfaces with a chlorine bleach solution.
• When finished, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Hand sanitizers alone are not effective. 

See how to clean up vomit and diarrhea

Employee illness resources

You can download our employee illness logs. The illness logs are available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

We also have flyers for you to share with employees. 

See our employee illness resources

Sick and safe time

The Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time law requires employers to provide sick leave to employees. 

• Employees must have access to sick leave when they are ill. 
• City-licensed food businesses can ask why an employee is calling in sick. The Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time ordinance does not prevent employers from asking.

See the Sick and Safe time for food businesses flyer