Snohomish Health District, WA

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Food Worker Cards

1. Can I take the class and test online?

Yes. In addition to classes being available at the Snohomish Health District Everett location, the food worker card class and test can both be taken online.

2. Do I have to register ahead of time to take the class?: Pre-registration is not required.

3. When are the classes offered at Snohomish Health District?

Classes are scheduled:

2:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in English
10 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in English
10 a.m. el primer martes de cada mes en Espanol

4. Can I schedule a special class for a group or event that needs food worker cards?: Health District staff can provide group training off-site if desired. For a class to be offered at your location, you must have a minimum of 20 people. We generally schedule classes one to two months in advance. Contact our office to request a class: 425-339-5250 or email Food Safety.

5. How much is the food worker card?

The fee for a food worker card is $10. We accept cash, credit or debit (Visa and MasterCard) for instructor-led classes at the Everett location. Only credit and debit (Visa and MasterCard) are accepted for online classes.

Note: The charges for the food worker cards obtained online will be listed under Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department on your bank statement.

6. How long is the food work class?: The in-person class lasts approximately 90 minutes, including the instruction and test. Please arrive early to find parking and get signed in. There is no admittance after the class begins. Allow about 60 minutes for the online food worker class.

7. Is there an age requirement for the class?: There are no age requirements for obtaining a food worker card. The only requirement is taking the class and passing the test.

8. Do I have to retake the class and test to renew my food worker card?: Yes. To receive a 3-year card, you may renew your old card up to 60 days prior to the expiration date. Expired cards are not eligible to renew for a 3 year card.

9. How can I get a replacement card if I lost mine?

You can get a replacement card (with the original test date) at the Snohomish Health District Environmental Health Division office in Everett. If you originally received your card online, you can print a duplicate. The fee for a replacement card is $10. We accept cash, credit and debit (Visa and MasterCard) at the Everett location and credit and debit only online.

10. Can I read the test to a child or student with special needs?: Yes. We are happy to meet the needs of each person who needs a food worker card.

11. I am hearing impaired. What are my options for getting a food worker card?

We provide study booklets
You are allowed to bring an interpreter or friend to help guide you through the test
You can email or call us ahead of time to request an American Sign Language interpreter to come to a class of your choosing
You can take the test and class online

12. Am I required to have a food worker card?: Cashiers, bussers, stockers, and dishwashers are all required to have a food worker card as a safety precaution. Many states are adopting “limited use” permits for these types of workers, but Washington State has yet to adopt these permits.

13. What options do I have if I speak a foreign language?

You can bring someone to help translate the information and test
We provide booklets and tests in 9 foreign languages that cover all the information needed to pass the test:
- Cambodian
- Chinese
- Korean
- Punjabi
- Russian
- Spanish
- Tagalog
- Thai
- Vietnamese
You can take the class and test in various languages online

14. How long is my food worker card valid?: Food worker cards are valid throughout Washington State for 2 years.

15. How do I renew my food worker card?

You can renew your card for 3 years if you re-take the class before your current card expires - bring your old card with you when you take the class in person. If you renew online, bring your old card and the card you received online into Snohomish Health Department and we will issue you a three-year card.

If your old card has expired, you will only be able to receive a two-year card. You may be eligible for a five-year card if you have completed an approved advanced training such as a Food Managers Course.

16. When are you too sick to work with food?

Even if you have a food worker card, you are not permitted to work with food if you have:

Continual sneezing, coughing, or runny nose
Diagnosed infections that can be spread through food, such as salmonella, shigella, E coli, or hepatitis A
Diarrhea, vomiting, or jaundice
Infected, uncovered wounds

Sick food workers should go home or be given duties that do not involve handling food, such as taking out the trash, cleaning restrooms, or busing tables.

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General FAQs

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Healthy Youth Survey

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1. What is the Healthy Youth Survey?: The Washington State Healthy Youth Survey is an optional, anonymous survey given every other year to students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. It gathers information on topics such as physical activity and nutrition, alcohol and drug use, physical and sexual abuse, school safety, and depression and suicide. The 2018 survey was the sixteenth such statewide survey.

2. Are all students asked the same questions?

There are three versions of the survey. Two of them are for 8th grade and older. The core questions all are the same, and students in the same classroom may receive different forms. The goal is to make sure the greatest number of questions can be answered in the limited time available (one class period).

The third form of the survey is for 6th graders. It is shorter and less detailed.

Optional questions about sexual orientation, behavior and abuse are formatted so that they may be removed by schools that choose not to administer them without affecting the rest of the survey.

3. Can you trust the results?

The survey is optional and anonymous, so students can answer honestly without fear of getting themselves or someone else in trouble.

Some parents worry that students are not honest with their answers, or that they don’t take the survey seriously. While there may be some dishonest answers, the sample size is large enough to trust that, overall, the data and trends are reliable. In 2016, more than 230,000 students from all across Washington took the survey, including more than 14,600 in Snohomish County.

There also are several questions and metrics in place in the surveys to help identify and remove any that are not truthful.

4. How is the information from the survey used?: The survey results provide insight for school and health officials as well as parents and policymakers. Identifying trends in health issues or risky behaviors can help determine at what age interventions may be most useful, or whether existing interventions are working. The information also can help target limited resources toward the most pressing physical and mental health problems among young people.

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Mumps

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1. What is mumps?: Mumps is a highly contagious viral illness. An infected person can spread it through face-to-face contact by coughing, sneezing, or spraying saliva while talking. Mumps can also spread when people share cups and eating utensils. Mumps is a condition that health providers must report to the local health department when a probable or diagnosed case occurs.

2. What are the symptoms?

Mumps causes puffy cheeks and a swollen jaw, the result of swollen salivary glands. Other symptoms are:

Fever
Headache
Loss of appetite
Muscle aches
Tiredness
Up to 10% of teen boys and men can experience swelling of the testicles. Meningitis and encephalitis are rare but serious complications of mumps

3. How can you prevent mumps?

Immunization is the most effective way to prevent mumps. Everyone should make sure they are up to date on their MMR vaccine. Children must have two doses of the MMR vaccine to attend school.

Other ways to protect yourself:

Avoid contact with anyone infected with mumps
Don’t share cups and eating utensils
Wash your hands with soap and water

4. Who is more likely to get mumps?

Adults born in or after 1957 who have not been vaccinated or have not had mumps before
Babies less than one year old
Children older than one who have not received at least one dose of the MMR

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Refugee Health

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1. What do I need to make my first appointment?

Chest X-ray taken during Visa medical examination
I-94 card
Immunization records
Medical coverage information, if available
Overseas Visa medical examination information
Passport

2. What can I expect at my first appointment?

Blood test for communicable diseases and anemia
Health screening interview
TB test
Vital signs, check hearing and vision

3. What can I expect at my second appointment?

Answers to any questions
Referral for a chest X-ray, if needed
Referrals to community health care providers
Review of lab and TB test results

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Septic - As-Built Records

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1. Who needs septic as-built information?

State law requires that homeowners inspect and maintain their septic system to ensure it is functioning properly. An as-built drawing shows the location of your drain field, which is also useful for:

Property owners doing landscaping or building
Real estate professionals preparing for a purchase or sale
Septic professionals doing maintenance or repair

2. What information is in a record?

Information on each property record includes:

Year built
Legal description
Ownership and septic system status
Type and location of the drain field installed on the property, if there is one

3. Where does the septic information come from?

In general, the only information included is the as-built drawing, even though additional information on the property’s septic system may be on file at the Snohomish Health District offices.

The "Property Site Information" and "Property Owner Information" sections are from the Snohomish County Assessor’s Office and are updated on a routine basis. The "OnlineRME" and "Comments" sections are entered by the Snohomish Health District Water and Wastewater program. Attached scans are from the district’s files.