r/science • u/eastbayted • 2d ago

Health Sick food service workers remain top driver of viral foodborne outbreaks in US

https://www.healio.com/news/gastroenterology/20250331/sick-food-service-workers-remain-top-driver-of-viral-foodborne-outbreaks-in-us
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u/LegallyDune 2d ago

Even in California, where sick leave is mandated for service industry workers, employers regularly pressure workers to come in to work sick. The culture is unlikely to change until managers and owners are held liable for it.

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u/Duelist_Shay 2d ago

I started a new job as a cook for one of those fast-casual dining places; got some sort of food poisoning from something I ate earlier in the day, which made me be on the toilet every other 5 minutes. I felt fine outside of that, and they still sent me home telling me not to come back for at least 48 hours of being symptom free.

This is my 4th kitchen job, and the only one to not only not pressure me into working while being sick, but actively took measures to make sure it didn't spread.

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u/greenappletree 2d ago

1/4 - I guess better than nothing - glad there are places like that.

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u/Duelist_Shay 1d ago

Couldn't agree more. I was actually kinda shocked they didn't give the whole "suck it up" schpeel

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u/swinging_on_peoria 2d ago

Feels like this should be a part of health code inspections. Inspector discovers sick workers, restaurant gets shut down temporarily and gets a bad quality grade.

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u/Dashiepants 2d ago

I have worked in the food service industry for more than 20 years as a bartender, granted mostly night shift, and have never in all that time encountered a Health Code Inspector. I only vaguely remember a visit from one being referenced by maybe two of the 8-10 restaurants I worked. You’d be shocked at how little they visit.

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u/worldspawn00 2d ago

They're supposed to come by once a year to provide a rating for the food service license in most states. More often if the restaurant fails certain metrics or receives complaints.

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u/IncendiaryIceQueen 2d ago

It actually depends on the state and the type of restaurant. Some are required inspections yearly, twice a year, or quarterly depending on the risk level of the food being served.

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u/worldspawn00 2d ago

True, it does vary by state health department requirements/laws.

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u/bythog 2d ago

It is in California and most of the US. Depending on symptoms they can be closed immediately. There are also 7 illnesses that have required reporting to the local health department.

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u/carcar134134 2d ago

The owner of our place got sent home one time cause he was sick during an inspection.

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u/ToMorrowsEnd 2d ago

can fix it easily. give workers a call in line. IF their boss pressures them to work sick the employee gets $1000 cash and the boss has to pay $10,000 in fines. and it's escalating, each offense the fine is multiplied into. 10th? the employee gets $10K, the company pays $100K. Just need proof of the pressure and sick. both are extremely easy today.

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u/ArrowShootyGirl 2d ago

I was a Starbucks supervisor in Chicago and it was the same. The city required us to have sick pay, but the store was so short-staffed that using it was like pulling teeth. I remember one manager threatening to squash my transfer because I didn't come in while I had norovirus, and another threatened me with a write-up because I had food poisoning and couldn't go more than 30 minutes without being sick.

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u/Leafy_Is_Here 2d ago

Yeah sick leave is mandated but it's only 5 days minimum a year and employers have the option to cap it at 5 days and have it accumulate over 12 months. So realistically, employees have less than 1 day of sick leave every 8 weeks

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u/nellapoo 1d ago

My daughter started a new line cook job and a month in got the flu really bad. Not her fault in the slightest but she was terminated for staying home for 2 days while she was super sick. Like throwing up sick. Why would you want someone coming in to cook food if they have the flu?!