Train Your Team to Comply with the SB 476 Food Handler Law
California Food Handler Training Made Easy
Under a new state law effective January 1, 2024, California employers must pay the cost of their staff's food handler card training and compensate workers at regular hourly rates during training and testing.
eFoodHandlers makes it easy for you to comply with the new state law while providing economical, high-quality training for your entire team.
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Train Your Employees 100% Online for Less Than $8 per Course
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Purchase ANAB-Accredited Courses Approved by the CA Department of Health
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Save up to an Additional 15% with Group Purchases and Tiered Pricing Discounts
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Reduce Costs and Save Time with the Fastest Training Program in California
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Pre-Purchase and Assign Courses with Ease
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Print Certificates Instantly and Easily Track Employee Records
Our course is officially approved by the State of California.
Accreditation ID 1020 (StateFoodSafety)
Have questions? Check out the FAQs below, click Live Chat, or email us at support@efoodhandlers.com.
Why You Should Train with eFoodHandlers
- For more than 15 years, we've provided exceptional training experiences for food workers and managers. We offer state-of-the-art food service training courses — built by food professionals for food professionals.
- Our online courses are fast, affordable, and state approved. Training is available in English and Spanish.
- We're the only training provider accepted statewide in California. Our partner StateFoodSafety is an exclusive provider in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
- Compliance has never been simpler. We offer training solutions for businesses of all sizes — from independent food carts to major chain restaurants.
- Use the eFoodHandlers Manager Dashboard to keep all your compliance data in one convenient place. Monitor course progress, completion dates, pending expirations, current certifications by location, and more.
- Interactive training, video lessons, and learning exercises are designed for students of all education levels and learning styles.
Cost-Saving Benefits
- Pricing starts at less than $8 per employee, and bulk discounts make training even more affordable.
- Our course takes approximately 75 minutes to finish — making it the fastest state-approved online program in California. Minimize labor and training costs to make compliance quick and painless.
- Purchase course tokens ahead of time and distribute them whenever you hire a new employee. Each token is valid for a full year.
- Includes one free re-test in case students don't pass the first time.
What SB 476 Means for Employers
Under SB 476, California employers must:
- Provide food handler training at no cost to employees, including training, testing, and any costs associated with obtaining a food handlers card.
- Compensate employees at standard hourly rates during training and testing.
- Relieve employees of all other work duties during training and testing activities.
- Not require a valid food handlers card as a condition of employment for new hires.
Existing state requirements for food handler training will remain the same. Food workers must still obtain a food handlers card within 30 days of their hire date (unless local regulations require a shorter deadline).
The number of years food handler cards remain valid also stays the same: three years for most counties. In some locations, such as Riverside County, cards expire sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SB 476?
SB 476 is the short name for California Senate Bill 476. Originating in the State Senate, this bill shifts the financial responsibility for food handler card training from workers to their employers. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure into law in October 2023.
When does California SB 476 take effect?
Starting January 1, 2024, employers must pay for all employee food handler training, pay regular wages during training, and relieve workers of all other duties while they receive training.
Does CA SB 476 change food handlers card requirements or deadlines?
No. SB 476 only changes who is responsible for the cost of food handler training. Employees must still obtain a food handler card within 30 days of starting work.
California food handlers cards are still valid for three years. Workers must still attend ANAB-accredited and California-approved training. Employers must still document all employee training and produce certificates upon request.
Your workers who already have valid food handlers cards will not need to repeat training or update their cards as a response to SB 476.
Is the eFoodHandlers training course approved for California food workers?
Yes. Our 100% online course is officially approved by the California Department of Public Health. We are an ANAB-accredited provider of food handler training as required by Section 113948 of the California Health and Safety Code.
Locally approved programs for Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties are provided in partnership with our affiliate StateFoodSafety.
Can I require applicants to have a food handlers card as a condition of employment?
No. Under SB 476, employers "shall not condition employment on an applicant or employee having an existing food handler card."
You are required to consider applicants whether they hold a valid food handler card at the time of hiring or not.
Do I have to provide food handler training for my employees on site?
SB 476 doesn't specify when or where training must occur. However, you must relieve employees of all other duties during training, compensate them for time spent on an approved training program (including testing), and reimburse them for any expenses related to training.
Offering on-site training during regular business hours is suggested.
Does eFoodHandlers offer bulk discounts?
Yes. You can start earning a volume discount with as few as six courses. Discounts start at 5% per course and increase based on the number of courses purchased.
The more employees you need to train, the more you save. We offer pricing solutions for businesses of all sizes, from small independent restaurants to nationwide dining chains.
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What is a course token?
Plan ahead to save on compliance costs by purchasing course tokens in bulk. Each token you purchase allows you to assign one training course as needed.
Tokens remain valid for one year. Whenever you hire for your team, you can assign course tokens to train your new employees.
How long is eFoodHandlers training valid?
Once an employee finishes the course and passes the exam, they receive a food handlers card that is valid for three years. One exception is Riverside County, where cards are valid for two years. Employees must repeat the training to obtain a new food handlers card.
Unassigned training course tokens are valid for one year from the date of purchase.