Can't stop coughing!

nohr4u1yr

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-18-05 AT 02:07PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Hackzilla is back!

Back in May when I orignally posted this message that same day the ee stated she was having surgery next week to help her out.

Well...it was fine until this week. And today, whoa doggy - it is awful! On one occassion she was coughing for almost 3 minutes straight. (yes, I did time it)

The other employees here in the executive area are asking me what we can do. (Besides shoot her as one of you suggested back in may) Does any suggestions on how to get some more information out of her (besides her lung) regarding her situation and how she is trying to correct it? As well as what I can do.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!


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1ST MESSAGE BELOW... (May, 05)




Good morning!

We have an ee in our executive area (payroll clerk) that for the past year has coughed uncontrollably every single day. She coughs so hard that at times she can't catch her breath and I am afraid she is going to pass out.

She is an older woman (60+) and she has stated that she has been to a doctor but they say nothing is wrong.

It is becoming (ok, it has become) extremely annoying to those that sit around her. I am across the room and even when my office door is closed I can still hear her.

What are my options here? If any. I would also like to add that she is a very sensitive person and has the ability to turn the tears on at a moments notice.

As always - thank you for your input!

JM in ATL

Shoot her. That would drive me up the frickin wall! No, seriously - I really don't know what to tell you.

This problem is extremely disruptive to the other employees, and it is not medical related, but if you fire her for coughing, well she will be darn sure to find a medical reason for that cough.

Can you put her in a bubble? Sound proof room? Give her some cough drops? Exterminate her?

Seriously though, you need to let her know how disruptive this action is and that unless she can provide information that it is a medical condition, you may need to find an alternative to her current position.

Good luck with this one.

lorrie

I would be inclined to take her aside and explain that her coughing is very disruptive, and there are concerns about sharing germs when someone is sick. (An employer has the right to send a sick employee home.) Tell her if she wants to continue working then she needs to get this under control. We all get sick at times, and it may seem cold to tell her this, but it sounds like she has had enough time to get this taken care of, and I understand how it can impact an entire work area.

The fact that she can turn on the tears should not affect any decisions. You can be gentle, but firm. The tears are her problem, not yours.

I said I would be inclined to do this, but I have a feeling someone out there knows more. It just seems to me that until she asks for an accommodation, and you have an opportunity to consider all the medical facts, you should have the right to control your work environment.

atrimble

Here's an excerpt from our personnel policy:

The employer reserves the right when reasonably related to the employee’s position to require an employee to obtain a doctor’s certification, if the employee has informed the employer of his or her non-duty connected injury, disability or illness, and the employee continues to work. The doctor’s statement must unequivocally state that the employee is capable of performing the tasks required of the employee without danger to the employee’s or the employee’s co-workers’ health or welfare. This Section is also applicable when the employer has reason to believe that the employee’s job performance is being affected by the employee’s condition. If the employee cannot provide said certification within a reasonable time, the employer may, at its option, place the employee on leave without pay status.

The coughing itself informed the employer of the possible medical condition. I seriously doubt this employee's performance has not been affected by the coughing fits if they are as bad as stated; other employees' performances have certainly been affected! If she can't get the doctors to produce a certification along the guidelines of FMLA (expected duration of condition, for example) then consider leave without pay. That should motivate her to find a doctor to treat her properly. My husband has had a lingering, hacking cough since mid-November. Doctor thinks it may be a side effect of his blood pressure medicine, but wants to "give it time" to see if the cough goes away on its own. ???!!!

If the doctors continue not to discover anything wrong with your employee, (say, she only coughs at work) you may want to consider that her condition could be a work-related illness (allergies to dust, ergonomic concerns, etc.) and do some environmental investigation of your own.

-Abby

KathyHR

Abby,
I had the same problem with my blood pressure medicine, but it drove ME crazy that I had the cough. I told my doctor that it was irritating to me and on the 3rd prescription she found one that didn't have the coughing side effects and lowered my pressure.

Good Luck, Kathy

gismo

Good Morning!

I feel your pain! I think we have her sister working in our office!!!! This woman clears her throat ALL the time, and let me say, she is trying to bring up a lung. She is hard of hearing and we really don't think she knows how loud she is. I have talked to her in the past about how disruptive this was becoming to all those around her. She thanked me for letting her know, she did not want to be a bother to anyone. Well, it got better for a short time and we are right back in the same boat. She is so loud when she is clearing her throat that it just makes you cringe. This EE just like yours, will cry at the drop of a hat.

Don D

It doesn't matter if it's a medical condition causing it or not. She must control it. Having a medical explanation does not remove her responsibility or yours.

atrimble

I disagree. The employer has additional responsibility only if the condition is caused by the work environment. I would think it is incumbent upon the employee to certify that a medical condition exists if she does not want the employer to take (adverse) action because of a chronic work-place disturbance, which is how I would regard this situation. As coughing is typically a symptom of a medical condition (whether similar to chronic flatulence stemming from an emotional or chemical imbalance, or auditory evidence of a thoracic cavity issue), the employer (though maybe they shouldn't!) can reasonably assume a medical condition exists.

I don't think I could treat this situation exactly the same as someone incessantly popping his gum or playing the radio too loudly, if that's what The Good Don was implying.

-Abby

dchr9203

Just share with her honestly that her constant coughing is becoming a distraction to the office. As I'm sure we've all had coughing spells before, we can sympathize that its not really all that much fun, and no doubt she would control it if she could. Collaborate with her on solutions. It could be something as simple as the air in your office is dry and maybe a small humidifier on or near her desk will help. Is she a smoker, maybe a smoking cessation program. Certainly a second or third opinion from a physician to discover the underlying cause should be considered as constant coughing fits for anyone is not healthy, let along a senior person. This is a tough one. I hope something comes across the forum that helps. Good luck!

nohr4u1yr

We actually had the discussion regarding the disruption it is causing a couple of weeks ago and she did go to the doctor.

I just found out she went to another doctor yesterday and she is scheduled for some type of surgery in a couple of weeks. Hopefully this will take care of the situation. Otherwise we may look into that bubble idea!

Thank you all for your advice. Have a GREAT day!

Don D

ATrimble: I didn't imply that constant lung regurgitation is akin to popping bubble gum. I did say, and will repeat, that an employer has an obligation to his/her employees to maintain an environment in which employees can be productive. That includes counseling with the employee who hacks.

Disruptive behaviors, even those with medical causation, should always be dealt with. Having a note from a doctor attesting to the reason for the hacking is no more relevant than having a note explaining the origin of persistent body odor, or as you said, flatulence. If the behavior keeps others from being productive or otherwise peeves them, the employer should have a discussion.

She probably just needs to get her uvula trimmed.

Pricehcs

I bet its whooping cough! Break out the vicks!

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/splat.gif[/IMG]

#1 thing a consultant shouldn't say: "I could tell you the answer right now, but we're committed to a three month project..." #-o

marc

That is an entertaining icon. Not exactly giving the EE the boot, as in termination, what description would you give it?

And which client did you charge for it's creation? $$$

pork1

Doctor Don, I learned a new word to day, "uvula", thanks, even ole PORK can add to its greatness. Next winter, when I start my sinus drainage and associated lung regurgitation (you don't know how many times I had to flip back and forth to type that word)!

Has any one tried to give her a bag of Hall's menthol lyptus cough drops? They worked for me and cut way back on the disruption in the office, as my "uvula" was treated to a lesser substance than that coming from the sinus cavities.

Have a Blessed day tomorrow.

PORK

njjel

We had a similar experience here too. The ee coughed and claimed it was due to the atmosphere here at work. She has worked here for 6 years and this is the first cough. She was pushing for the director to have the vents cleaned. Then all of a sudden she just stopped coughing! She had been doctoring and the dr. came up w/several thing it could be and had her on antibiotics so I guess it wasn't work related, eh? But my oh my what a stir it was causing, not to mention the annoyance of her cough to everyone around her (including herself I imagine).

nohr4u1yr

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-18-05 AT 02:10PM (CST)[/font][br][br].

njjel

Did she ever have the surgery? If her coughing continues, it is time to have another chat w/her and advise her that her coughing is disruptive to the workplace and ask her to see further treatment from her doctor to control it during work hours. Good luck!

Brother Bluto

Our President and Vice President are both hackers, plus they hock up lung oysters. They do this with no regard for anyone in the office or for those of us with applicants or visitors from other companies who can clearly hear hocking all the way in the front lobby. It's disgusting and embarrasing. We also have a manager that belches at the top of his lungs and takes the extra effort to hold it in until he enters the front office for all his piers to hear. Top that one!

LivindonSouth

I would, but you really don't want me to.



"Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."
Charlie Chaplin

Kathy in Alabama

Are you sure it's not TB? TB is contagious unless medications are taken by the patient. Question - could we ask for medical documentation that ailment is not contagious?

atrimble

I don't know that "not contagious" documentation would do much good...

This weekend I came down with my second viral respiratory infection in four weeks, and my third in the past five months. I'm sure my co-workers are tired of hearing me hack and snort, but my doctor insists that after 48 hours, I'm probably no longer contagious, and sends me back to work. Apparently some of the viral infections going around these days leave behind some kind of gunk that the body has a really tough time getting rid of. My husband got an infection back in October last year, and coughed all the way through February.

My point is that even though having a "not contagious" certification may put minds at ease, it's not going to solve the annoying cough.

Oh - great news on this last infection: benzonatate! Gel-cap cough suppressant - REALLY works! I'd estimate 3 times as good as the really strong robitussin stuff, and it's non-narcotic. Now someone's going to come on here and tell me not to prescribe medicine because I'm not a doctor. What I'm trying to say is that, from personal experience, I KNOW there are meds out there that can suppress even violent coughing. (I sprained a rib about two weeks ago, coughing so hard.)

HRLASS

I sympathize with both you and Hackzilla. I have had problems in the past with horrible ongoing hacking coughs. At one point my boss sent me home and wouldn't let me come back for a week. I realize the disruption as I used to keep my door closed and practically suffocate myself to keep others from hearing. I am a very mild asthmatic and my doctor suggested trying my inhaler whenever this happened and it worked! No one ever guessed that could be the problem or even a contributing factor as my condition is so mild. I have also used those throat sprays that briefly numb your throat. I keep a bottle in my desk in dry or cold seasons. If I use the spray with the first few coughs, I don't irritate my throat and generate more coughing. The quiet is bliss - for me and for the office.