To start off with my company is a Food Processing Facility...
I recently had a couple of employees ask to have a private meeting with me concerning another employee. It turns out that a lady that works for my company has Hepatitis C. The employees are very concerned that they can get the virus. I have looked online (as I am not a DR) and it seems that it is transmitted through blood of sexual contact. Both of these are unlikely, but blood is always possible.
It my understanding that as a company, we can not fire her for her medical history. Is this correct? Is there anything I should do to protect my concerned employees?
Second of all, (this may be the wrong forum because it is not a law that I know of) but we process food. Is it safe for someone with Hepatitus C to be in a processing facility?
Any help is much appreciated.

Your questions are best directed to the CDC or your state Department of Health.

Assuming that there is no problem with having an employee with or exposed to Hepatitis, then you should let ALL employees know that via a paycheck stuffer or some other means.

Your post raised some interesting questions. First, the alleged allegations from these employees can create some undesirable consequences for your firm if they are untrue. The alleged worker with Hepatitis C can sue your firm and her fellow coworkers for slander and deformation of character if untrue. Second, I can assume that your firm does not require physical examination of all employees to work in this Food Processing Facility. A Food Processing Facility should test all employees for certain viruses and disease each year “to protect the public health” in my opinion. Your firm should review the requirements for testing all employees for appropriate disease and viruses that may be transmitted through human consumption of your food products. Third, the question you asked on this message board should have been asked of your facility doctor and/or medical consultant. The corporate medical doctor and your corporate attorney should be informed of this situation immediately. Remember your firm has an obligation to protect the public health; recall can be very expensive. What type of protective equipment such, as gloves are required to be worn in your food processing plant? What is the procedure if an employee incurs a cut? Will your firm be happy to discard a batch of expensive product if a cut occurs? Fourth, you did not expect anyone on this message board to give you an answer to your questions. I believe that are no medical doctors that answers legal questions on this site. In conclusion, you should contact your facility doctor regarding this matter to determine the next step and contacting the local health department.

I work in a field that is quasi-medical (no medical procedures, but we administer meds, coordinate and oversee healthcare, provide first aid and crisis intervention, and provide 1:1 support). Many of our clients and staff have Hep C. We do annual training on it. You can probably google and find lots of organizations that offer training.

As long as universal precautions are followed, there is not a danger. If anyone ever has an incident that could involve exposure, they get tested immediately at company expense and also get follow-up testing. Companies that have employees who are at risk of exposure also tend to offer free Hep vaccines.


It's not the "panic" situation that you are thinking it to be. Numerous people with hep C work in food service and food prep. If any employee handling food gets a cut, whether they have Hep or not it doesn't matter. You use universal precautions. If any employee bled on the food, what would your company do? Thanks the same way you would handle it if this employee got cut. Do anything to ostracize the person, and you'll incur legal woes.

Sure consult your attorney. But this is pretty common in all fields. It's why universal precautions were invented.

It's not the "panic" situation that you are thinking it to be. Numerous people with hep C work in food service and food prep. If any employee handling food gets a cut, whether they have Hep or not it doesn't matter. You use universal precautions. If any employee bled on the food, what would your company do? Thanks the same way you would handle it if this employee got cut. Do anything to ostracize the person, and you'll incur legal woes.

Sure consult your attorney. But this is pretty common in all fields. It's why universal precautions were invented.

You should read the original post again. You are correct that many people work in food service and food preparation. However, you would expect a manager at a food processing plant not be asking medical advice on a message board. The manager created the alleged "panic" situation by asking the question over this public message board rather than asking his company support staff such as medical doctors. Can you read my mind? However, we are both astute in the use of certain phrases.

The intent of my post was to give the food processor a "wake up call in their daily operations." The atmosphere at the plant should be that the firm's management is notified directly by the employee of certain medical conditions if they exist rather than alleged accusations from fellow coworkers. This notification should be policy.

You were correct in posting your response "to calm the public and to protect the public." I am quite sure there will be an interesting meeting with the management of this firm if they heard and/or read the content of this thread.

Hopefully, we all have learn a lesson. It may not be a big deal but the firm seems to be handing it very poorly.