Worker Interview

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-0792

Exp. Date 01/31/2025

CDC estimates the average public reporting burden for this collection of information as 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data/information sources, gathering, and maintaining the data/information needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate to: CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, MS H21-8, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30333 ATTN: PRA (0920-0792).

Attachment 2: Worker Informed Consent and Interview

Worker Informed Consent

Let me tell you why I’m here. I’m working with [health department] on a project to help us learn about the issues restaurants face with sick workers. Your restaurant was picked randomly to participate, and your manager said that it would be okay if I talked with you. However, you don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. If you do talk with me, I won’t tell your manager anything that you say.

I’m going to ask you about what you do at work and this restaurant’s policies and practices. This should only take 15 minutes. If any of the questions make you uncomfortable, you can choose not to answer them. The information we collect today will be combined with information from other restaurants in various states. We won’t collect or record your name. While I do have your restaurant name and address, it will remain with me and be destroyed at the end of the study. The data we collect will only be recorded with a coded identifier for the restaurant.

This research is covered by a Certificate of Confidentiality from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This Certificate means that the researchers can’t disclose or use any information that may identify you in any kind of civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative action, unless you say they can. Information protected by this Certificate cannot be shared anyone other than the researchers, unless a law requires it or you say they can.

While the information that you provide may not directly benefit you as a manager or your restaurant, the information you provide will be valuable in understanding some of the tough issues that restaurants in many states face, so we ask you to be as open and honest as you can. In addition, if you have food safety related questions, I am willing to answer them for you.

Do you have any questions? If you have any questions at a later time, you can contact: (Local contact name). Again, we appreciate your participation in this research to help inform national food safety initiatives.

With all of this being said, do you agree to proceed and by agreeing to proceed, you are providing verbal informed consent?

VERBAL INFORMED CONSENT RECEIVED  Yes  No (THEN STOP) Thank you for your time today.

Worker Interview

Only bold text is to be read aloud by the data collector. Instructions to data collector are italicized. Responses with boxes (☐) can have multiple responses; responses with circles (m) can only have one answer.

General Characteristics

I’m going to ask you some questions that will describe you and this restaurant.

1. How many years have you worked in food service? By food service, I am referring to any deli, restaurant, or commercial restaurant that serves food to the public.

m Years: _______

2. How long have you worked at this restaurant?

m Years: _______

3. Are you full time, part-time, seasonal, or another type of employee?

q Full-time q Part-time q Seasonal

q Extra board or on-call list q Other:______________________

4. Have you ever had any food safety training?

m Yes m No (skip to #5) m Unsure (skip to #5)

1. When was the last time you had food safety training?

m <1 month ago m 1-6 months ago m >6-12 months ago

m >1-3 years ago m >3 years ago m Unsure

2. Have you ever been certified in food safety?

m Yes m No

5. What area of the kitchen do you primarily work in?

m Cook line m Food prep m Cook line & Food prep m Serving

m Bar m Dishwashing m Supervision m Other:____________________

Employee Health & Outbreak Prevention

Do not prompt interviewee

I’m going to ask you some questions about being sick, specifically with diarrhea and/or vomiting.

6. Have you received any training on what do you when you are sick and scheduled to work?

m Yes m No (skip to #7) m Unsure (skip to #7)

a. How were you trained on what to do when you were sick and scheduled to work?

q Orientation/Training q Staff meetings q Posters/Signs

q Manager q Other employees q Other: _______________________

b. How often are you reminded about what to do when you are sick and scheduled to work?

q Never                    q When an infraction/issue occurs       q Weekly 

q Monthly                           q Annually                                           q When polices are reviewed 

q At staff meetings            q Other, please describe: _______________________ 

6. What are you supposed to do when you are sick and scheduled to work?

q Call or text a manager q Find a replacement on your own

q Get a doctor’s note q Stay home

m Unsure q Use a reporting website/app

q Other, please describe: ______________________

a. If you are sick, are you required to tell managers what your symptoms are?

m Yes m No (skip to #8) m Unsure

b. What symptoms do you think are most important to share with your manager?

q Vomiting q Diarrhea q Sore throat with fever

q A lesion containing pus q Jaundice m Unsure

qOther:___________________________________________________

6. Have you ever called out of work because you were sick?

m Yes (only ask #8a) m No (only ask #8b)

a. IF YES: Think about the most recent time you called out sick.

a. Did the manager ask about your symptoms?

m Yes m No m Unsure

b. Did the manager make you feel guilty for calling out sick?

m Yes m No m Unsure

i. If yes, probe for how they did that: _____________________________________

c. Were you offered to be paid for your shift even though you didn’t come to work?

m Yes m No m Unsure

d. Were you able to make-up the hours or pay that you missed once you returned to work?

m Yes m No m Unsure

e. Were you required to provide a doctor’s note to miss work?

m Yes m No m Unsure

f. Were you issued any warnings (such as a verbal reprimand, saying something that implies disappointment in the employee, etc.)?

m Yes m No m Unsure

g. How did you know when it was okay to return to work?

q No more symptoms q Manager approval q Felt good enough to work

q 48 hours since fever subsided q Other, please describe: _______________________

b. IF NO:

a. How many days are you paid for your shift if you can’t work because you are sick?

m Days: _______

b. Are employees allowed to make-up hours or pay that they missed once they return to work?

m Yes m No m Sometimes m Unsure

c. Does the establishment require employees to have a doctor’s note to miss work?

m Yes m No m Sometimes m Unsure

d. How would you decide when it was okay to return to work after being sick?

q No more symptoms q Manager approval q Felt good enough to work

q 48 hours since fever subsided q Other, please describe: _______________________

Experiences

Next, I'm going to ask you some questions that are more personal, about your experiences while working here. We understand sometimes you might have to work while sick and we want to learn more about this. Your answers will remain anonymous and won't be shown to your supervisor and cannot be connected to you after I leave, so please be as honest as possible.

9. How many shifts have you worked while sick with vomiting or diarrhea in the last year?

m Shifts:  ______  (If 0, skip to #10)    m Unsure         m Refused

1. What are some of the reasons you worked while sick with vomiting or diarrhea?

q The restaurant was understaffed

q Management (shift leader, owner/operator, etc.) couldn’t find anyone to cover my shift

q I couldn’t find anyone to cover my shift

q Management (shift leader, owner/operator, etc.) didn’t believe I was really sick

q I didn’t think I was contagious

q I felt obligated/didn’t want to leave my coworkers in a bind

q I was afraid of losing my job

q I wouldn’t get paid if I didn’t work

q I didn’t want other consequences of not working (e.g., lose place in rotation, lose shifts, etc.)

q There was non-food handling work available

q Other:_____________________________________________________________________

m Unsure

m Refused

10. Have you had any training about what to do when a vomiting or diarrheal event happens in the restaurant? This could be a staff member or customer.

m Yes m No (skip to #11) m Unsure (skip to #11)

Did the training cover:

a. Reviewing the restaurant’s plan? m Yes m No m Unsure

b. Cleaning practices and/or procedures? m Yes m No m Unsure

c. Using personal protective equipment (gloves, mask, etc.)? m Yes m No m Unsure

d. Closing off impacted area? m Yes m No m Unsure

e. Throwing out impacted food? m Yes m No m Unsure

11. When was the last time a vomiting or diarrheal event happened in this restaurant?

m Within the last month m 1-3 months ago m Within the last year

m More than 1 year ago m Never m Unsure

Perceptions and Beliefs

12. Now I am going to ask you some questions for which you’ll have to use a rating scale. (Show rating scales as appropriate). On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all and 5 being a great deal, please tell me how much you agree with the following statements based on your experiences in this restaurant. These responses cannot be linked back to you after I leave, so please be as honest as possible.

		Not at all		Neutral		A great deal
	How comfortable do you feel telling your manager that you are sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How comfortable do you feel telling the manager your symptoms when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How much does not getting paid if you don’t work influence whether you come to work when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How much does not wanting to leave your co-workers short-staffed influence whether you come to work when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How much does whether you think you could make other people sick influence whether you come to work when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How much does fear of losing your job influence whether you come to work when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤
	How much does fear of other consequences, such as losing shifts, influence whether you come to work when you feel sick?	①	②	③	④	⑤

13. Are there any other factors that I have not asked about that influence whether you come to work

when you feel sick?

m Yes m No (end of interview) m Unsure (end of interview)

1. What are those factors?_________________________________________________________

End of Interview

That concludes the interview. Thank you very much for your participation. Do you have any questions?

If you have any questions at a later time, you can contact [Name]. (If have card) My information is on this card.