What is the correct action if an employee feels unwell during a shift?

• A. Ignore symptoms and continue.
• B. Report to supervisor only if symptoms are severe.
• C. Report to the supervisor and leave the work area.
• D. Ask a coworker to cover the shift.

Answer: (C)

Feeling unwell in a food-handling role creates a risk to both colleagues and customers because symptoms can indicate contagious illness or lead to contamination of food and surfaces. The best action is to report to your supervisor and leave the work area right away. This allows the proper risk assessment to happen, ensures you won’t handle food while unwell, and lets someone else cover your responsibilities safely. It also aligns with workplace sickness policies and protects everyone in the operation. Ignoring symptoms or only acting if they’re severe delays response and increases risk, while asking a coworker to cover doesn’t address the health risk or containment needs.