An employee tells his manager that he had diarrhea last night but is feeling better. How should the manager handle this situation?

• A. Return after 12 hours
• B. Work with supervision
• C. Take a week off
• D. Exclude until symptoms have been gone 24 hours

Answer: (D)

The main idea is protecting food safety by keeping potentially contagious workers away from food handling. Diarrhea can spread germs through food and surfaces, so someone who just experienced it could still be contagious even if they feel better. The safest rule is to exclude the employee from food-handling duties until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours. This reduces the risk of transmitting illness to customers and coworkers. The manager should arrange coverage and, when the employee returns, ensure good handwashing and hygiene. Returning after only a short time, or taking an entire week off without cause, aren’t aligned with standard food-safety practice.