. Beginning July first, virtually every restaurant employee will need a food handler's license.
Bill hatfield, boone co. Health department: "anyone who handles food, handles utensils, or comes in contact with food contact surfaces."
The problem? Boone County Environmental Health Director Bill Hatfield says not many people know much about the new law, including his department.
"This is something that will affect all of our food facilities, and we have yet to figure out exactly how we're going to enforce this requirement," said Hatfield.
Hatfield says the class can be taken online and the cost is about 10 bucks. It's money that adds up when nearly every employee needs a license.
" I have over 130 employees and when I do the math real quickly, it could be quite costly for myself as well as other businesses in Rockford," said Salamone.
He says improving food safety is always a priority, but the new law is excessive.
"It's very, very difficult to justify everything that's being asked of us by the state," said Salamone.
The new law will not impact volunteer workers. It's still required that there be a certified food manager on staff for every shift.
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