California Food Handler Card Deadline Nears

It’s the three-year mark for the compliance deadline for the California Food Handler Card law, and thousands of the state’s foodservice workers are due to have their cards renewed.

The new law requires food handlers to undergo food-safety training and pass a test to earn a card. It also mandates that employers maintain records and be ready to provide copies of the cards to county officials during the inspection process.

The ServSafe California Food Handler program fulfills the requirements of the law and includes a suite of options for employees to obtain a card through training and passing an exam, both online and in print for classroom-style training. Employees can take the training and exam online in English and Spanish. The California Restaurant Association has developed a suite of educational materials and web badges, including a number available in English and Spanish.

Information on the California program and on food-handling laws in all 50 states is available at foodhandlerusa.com.