What is the recommended action when an employee has been diagnosed with a foodborne illness?

When an employee has been diagnosed with a foodborne illness, the recommended action is to exclude them from work until they have been cleared by a medical professional. This approach is essential in food safety practices to prevent the spread of pathogens that can cause illness in customers and other employees.

Excluding the employee ensures that they do not handle food or work in areas where food is prepared or served, thereby significantly reducing the risk of contaminating food and causing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. This measure also allows the employee time to recover fully before returning to work, ensuring they are no longer contagious.

Using gloves or reassigning them to non-food tasks may not effectively mitigate the risks associated with their illness, as they may still carry pathogens that could transfer to food or surfaces. Allowing them to work with restrictions does not sufficiently address the potential risks either, as it may still expose customers and coworkers to harmful bacteria or viruses. Thus, excluding the employee until they have been medically cleared is the most responsible and recommended course of action in this scenario.