What should sick employees do?

Employees who are feeling unwell should immediately inform a manager or supervisor about their illness. This action is crucial for maintaining a safe working environment, especially in settings like food service where the risk of transmitting illness can be significant. By notifying management, steps can be taken to mitigate the risk to others, such as allowing the sick employee to leave and arrange for a replacement if necessary. Managers can also implement measures to prevent the spread of illness among staff and customers.

Continuing to work while feeling unwell not only jeopardizes the health of colleagues and customers but also could worsen the sick employee’s condition. Waiting to see if symptoms improve can lead to delays in necessary interventions that could protect others. While frequent use of hand sanitizer is beneficial for hygiene, it is not a substitute for addressing the root issue of a sick employee working in a food service environment.