Comments on: A Smelly Problem https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html Everything to make HR better Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:56:02 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Vercingetorix https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1428 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:13:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1428 I think the best way would be to tell your manager and move to a new place. Let somebody else enjoy the odor. hah.

]]> By: Ashwin https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1427 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:40:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1427 “Now, if the woman has no medical condition and she’s doing it on purpose to torment her co-workers, then yes, she should be fired. (Can you even do that on purpose? I guess I should ask an 11 year old boy. He would know.)”

I am really very sorry… but I burst out laughing so hard after reading the dialog part that my stomach started paining.

Oh well, life’s little humor comes in strange ways!

]]> By: Michelle Malay Carter https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1426 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:13:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1426 I’m not kidding on this one. It appears that there is a seat cushion on the market designed to absorb the odor.

See if you can get HR to pay for it and write it off as an accommodation.

http://www.gasbgon.com/wt_paper.htm

Regards,

Michelle

]]> By: Anonymous https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1425 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:42:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1425 I had this problem… in a shared office. They moved in someone with the same problem (who also sang at his desk, burped constantly, talked to himself, etc., along with the gas problem.)

I asked to speak directly to the people who manage building facitilies and office placement, by passing our coordinator b/c I wasn’t going to share the details with her. I explained the problem and asked to have him reassigned to a single office. Which they did. (Normally he would not be in a single office due to how recently he joined the company — so he got a single office out of the move.) I was hoping they would move him in such a way to make this seem normal and a benefit — we are moving you to a single office! I don’t know what they did/said though.

To this day, this person hates me. I see him in the halls and try to say hi, and truly he hates me. He scowls at me, won’t say Hi back, etc. It’s OK though. It had to be done, and he couldn’t be assigned with someone else. Someone had to speak up, I’m fine that it was me.

]]> By: another hr rep https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1424 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:39:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1424 Presumably all the CSRs have to leave their desks at least that often.

Would the company really be at legal risk for firing someone whose medical condition causes the company to lose that many hours each and every week?

Another HR professional here, and the likely the answer is yes. There are other factors to consider, but courts will view a bigger company as having the resources to make a reasonable accomodation to allow the offending employee to continue his/her work. In this case, the accomodation may be a work area separate from others (own space, etc.).

]]> By: Katherine https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1423 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:48:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1423 Evil – I’ve worked with a lot of smelly people!! Febreeze (or other spray with odor neutralizers) and a fan are your best friends. Febreeze even makes a “no-scent” neutralizer in case there are fragrance allergies, although their new Christmas Tree scent is wonderful!

If scent isn’t a problem, those reed diffusers that are so popular right now would also help things be a bit more plesant!!

]]> By: Anonymous https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1422 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:26:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1422
You said that once a week it’s bad enough to drive you out of your area. Unpleasant though that may be, it’s not the end of the world.

Presumably all the CSRs have to leave their desks at least that often.

Would the company really be at legal risk for firing someone whose medical condition causes the company to lose that many hours each and every week?

]]> By: Evil HR Lady https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1421 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:16:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1421 katherine–duh, I can’t believe I didn’t even think about that. Yes, battery operated fan.

Excellent.

]]> By: Katherine https://www.evilhrlady.org/2007/11/smelly-problem.html#comment-1420 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:06:00 +0000 http://localhost/wordpress/2007/11/a-smelly-problem.html#comment-1420 If allowed, get a small fan to plug in at your desk. Or a battery operated one if personal electronics aren’t allowed.

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