2015 Illinois Food Handler Requirements

Who?

As of January 1, 2015 Public Health Inspectors will begin enforcing the Illinois Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act (410 ILCS 625), amended by SB1495 and passed into law on August 27, 2013, which requires Food Handler training in Illinois. If you work in a restaurant in Illinois and prepare, store, or serve food, handle food equipment, food utensils, or food-contact surfaces you must have a ANSI-accredited Food Handler certificate within 30 days of hire. This includes most restaurant jobs, including servers, chefs, head chefs, head cooks, cooks, bussers, bartenders, dishwashers, hosts, and hostesses who handle food and supervisors, such as the general manager or managers. Managers who already have a Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate do not need a Food Handler certificate.

What?

Workers receive a ServSafe Food Handler Certificate after taking a basic food safety training course and passing an exam with a score of 75 percent or better. Once you have a certificate, provide a copy to your employer to keep on file. Proof of training must be provided during health inspections. Those serving alcohol must also take a class on safely serving alcohol, you can get more information here: New Training Requirements for Alcohol Servers in Cook County

Where?

ServSafe Food Handler Certificates are accepted everywhere in Illinois.

How?

Go online at FoodHandlerUSA.com for the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Food Handler Program course and exam. It’s simple and affordable at $15. The registration and payment process is in English, but the course and assessment is available in English and Spanish. You need a major credit card to pay.

Get 20% off your online course. Now only $12. Enter code EMPLOYEE20. After passing the exam, you can download and print an electronic certificate immediately to provide to your employer.

Contact the ServSafe hotline with questions at 866.901.7778.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Pays?

The law does not require employers to pay for an employee’s time and expense to take the training and test. The ServSafe Food Handler Certificate is the property of the employee, who can take it to another employer as long as the certificate is valid.

How long is the certificate valid?

Certificates are valid for three years from the date of issuance and are accepted everywhere in Illinois.

Who enforces the law?

Local health departments enforce the law.

Is there any resources or materials that restaurant operators could download and print for their employees?

Yes, See below:

If you have questions or concerns on this issue, do not hesitate to call Zeiler Insurance and speak to one of our customer service representatives. As an independent agency, Zeiler Insurance prides itself with quality customer service for the people of the Chicago-land area and the rest of the Midwest. Customer or not, we can review your insurance and see if you are being protected appropriately for the right price.

Dan
dan@zeiler.com
www.zeiler.com
708.597.5900 x134

Restaurant InsuranceDan Zeiler