The July 1 law went into effect in California requiring cooks, waiters and anyone who prepares, stores or serves food in shops to get a card stating them as food handlers.
Senator Alex Padilla authored such a law intended to reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal illness and hospitalization rates for food contamination. The mandate is to educate restaurant workers about the proper handling of products that sell.
At first glance, it seems like a reasonable idea. It is a basic public health issue. But although the recipe sounds easy, its preparation has obvious complications.
Altagracia Leibowitz began to hear the matter in mid-June. She is the owner of the Network Computer Store on Mission Street, between 23rd Street and 22nd Street. The main line of business is the repair and rental of computers, what is generally known as an internet cafe.
Her customers, mostly Latino, often know very little about computer use. Few are those who have an email account, said Leibowitz. The Public Policy Institute of California (www.ppci.org) introduced on June 22 stats of Internet usage. Statewide, Latinos are the racial group with more limited use of computers, 55 percent between the broadband connection at home, while among whites, 92 percent have it.
“They are good cooks, but have no experience in using the computer,” said Leibowitz in recounting how complicated it is for customers to be certified food handlers.
The certificate is obtained via the Internet, the law says. Although there is the option of taking a direct course and the exam in a classroom.
The certificate, valid for three years, is obtained after passing an exam. To pass the exam they must take a short online course, watch a video and then answer a 40 question form with multiple choice answers.
The cost of the certificate cannot exceed $15, the law says.
Jorge Aguilar a cook of Mexican origin who is under 30 years of age, said he did not find it difficult to take the exam. On July 8, while waiting for a friend in the Network Store to help him with his exam, he claimed to speak English well and have some knowledge of computer use. The friend, who did not show, had already failed the exam, said Aguilar.
The law also says that no proof of citizenship is required to be a certified food handler.
Whoever does not have the certificate will incur a misdemeanor-city dwellers health departments are responsible for enforcing this law, but will not be allowed to work until they get it.
“They use the computer without knowing, without e-mail accounts, others do not have a credit card to pay for the test,” said Leibowitz, a gentle Dominican who said she personally attended to more than one of her customers in achieving the process.
“One came the other day who failed twice and spent seven hours at the computer. Some do not read fluidly and found many questions confusing,” continued Leibowitz.
The California Restaurant Association (www.calrest.org), which calls to get the certificate now, has a link on their website to ServSafe (www.servsafe.com).
Through ServSafe, certification is available. ServSafe is a company owned by the National Restaurant Association.
ServSafe offers the course and examination in “espagnol”. If you call 866-901-7778 for direct assistance, an answering machine, so broken in Spanish that it is painful to hear, ends up recommending the email.
On the same page ServSafe lists in San Francisco, three personal instructors who can teach the course live and apply the test. Neither does it in Spanish. In Oakland, the only provider listed instructed in English only. So, without much choice at this time, Latinos working in restaurants will have to come to computers, despite how difficult it may be.