State Food Safety Practice Exam

What is the appropriate action if an employee is diagnosed with norovirus?

1. Send them home

2. Allow them to work with protective gear

3. Keep them on a lighter work schedule

4. None of the above

The correct answer is: Send them home

When an employee is diagnosed with norovirus, the appropriate action is to send them home. Norovirus is highly contagious and can easily spread in food service environments, leading to outbreaks among customers and other staff members. By sending the employee home, you help prevent further transmission of the virus within the workplace. Not only does this protect the health of other employees and customers, but it also complies with food safety regulations, which typically require that employees who are ill, especially with gastrointestinal illnesses caused by viruses like norovirus, do not handle food or work in food preparation areas. Ensuring that sick employees do not return to work until they have fully recovered minimizes the risk of spreading the virus and helps maintain a safe food service environment. Other options, such as allowing the employee to work with protective gear or keeping them on a lighter work schedule, would not effectively prevent the risk of spreading norovirus, as the virus can still be transmitted even with precautions in place. Therefore, sending the employee home is the most effective and responsible action to take in response to a norovirus diagnosis.