Delicate Matter

Rosalind Walls · October 2003

How do you handle an employee who has body odor that is offending co-workers? Co-workers are complaining employee is not doing her assigned job. The employee recently filed a complaint against an employee and we don't want this to appear as retaliation. What can we do?
RT in MS

Peyton Irby MS · October 2003

offensive body odor is not a protected category. advise the employee of the problem and ask her to correct the problem. this issue is delicate and requires tactful handling. depending on the complaint against the other employee, there may not be a retaliation issue. if employee is doing her job, use your standard corrective measures.
Peyton Irby
Editor, Mississippi Employment Law Letter
Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A.
(601) 949-4810
[email]pirby@watkinsludlam.com[/email]

HRgalME · October 2003

We actually had this issue come up, delicate matter. I did a search on this site and came up with some matches to previous threads on this subject.

Good luck,

Cyndy

ray a · October 2003

Cyndy is right. We had several conversations on the forum earlier this summer with the usual differences of opinion. I too have had to deal with it, as many of us had. I, or my assistant will talk to the offender privately and gently and discreetly. I try to ascertain if there is a medical problem that may be causing the odor. In one case about a year ago, the ee was under doctor's care for problems with body odor. They discovered that she was having a chemical reaction to leather shoes, started wearing sneakers and the problem was solved. You have to be careful, though, some will suggest that probing the medical angle opens you up to the ADA. Bottom line, I tell them that our handbook addresses the issue and that since it is offensive, they must do something. BTW, one individual confided he had lost all sense of smell several years prior and had no idea and promised to shower every day from then on.

Pork · October 2003

You guys should send the stinky ee to me; we'll put her to work with our animals, who will love her smell regardless of the flavor. Just pet the big girl or boar on the head and a scratch behind the ear or tail and they'll follow you to the slaughter house, and loving the smell all the way!!!

OINK< OINK<

PORK

Shadowfax · November 2003

Uhh Pork - just where is this spot behind the tail you suggest scratching?

Don D · November 2003

Ray's guy who had lost all sense of smell promised to take a shower every day thereafter. Even if I had lost my sense of smell, I would still have enough sense to take a shower every day. Probably a NY cabbie in a prior life.

SDDCHR · November 2003

There have been many posts on this before. Do a seach and look at how others have replied. There were many good ideas and even policies that others would be willing to share.

Paul in Cannon Beach · November 2003

This topic comes up about every 3-6 months on the forum. One wonders if we need a seperate forum for hygiene (spell check?) issues.

Here are some possible names:

B.0., Pee-yew, and Number Two

The X Files

The Unmentionables

The Smell and the Fury (Remember, I was an English Major)

Paul in Cannon Beach, OR

LindaS · November 2003

It appears that you have several different issues here, all lumped into one. First you have the body odor and what I have done in the past is to spend some time around the individual to make sure the complaints aren't just employees picking on one another. If, in fact, there is a problem my first course of action is to send them a letter to their home addressing the problem. Since this is a very "delicate matter" the confidentiality of the letter allows the person to maintain their dignity and still address, and hopefully correct, the problem. If you would like, I can email you the letter. If the letter doesn't work, I then call them in for a meeting.

The issue of the employee not doing their job is separate and should be treated as such. If the supervisor agrees that the employee isn't doing their job, treat the performance issue the same as you would any other employee in the same situation.

Regarding the retaliation issue, make sure you have solid documentation regarding any and all actions taken against this employee to ensure consistency regardless of the complaint they filed. The fact that the employee filed a complaint does NOT grant them carte blanche to do as they wish and that they are immune to the same standards as other employees.

Patty Mac · January 2004

I would like very much if you could fax or email me your letter.

I have this issue now and your idea was pretty good.

My email address is [email]pmccormick@firstbancorp.com[/email] or my fax is (910) 572-2884.

Thank you very much.

HR Jo · January 2004

I am having this type of issue now and would like to see the letter you have used. How successful has it been? Do more issues end up as a meeting or the problem is solved at that point?

LindaS · January 2004

HR Jo - Please give me your email address and I will forward a copy of the letter to you. In most cases the letter has been effective in that I didn't receive any additional complaints from other employees. In a few instances I have had to go through with the 2nd step, the meeting, and I remember one individual in particular who informed me that he "sweats more than other people" but he felt he could "get two or three days out of a shirt". I politely informed him that this was not the case and that he should change his clothes daily. He did that for a while and we had to address the issue again last summer. He has since retired so thankfully I won't have that issue to look forward to again this year.

HR Jo · January 2004

Thanks for the info. My email is [email]jfulton@mitchell.cc.nc.us[/email] I hope the letter works, a conversation by the supervisor and the employee has not solved the issue. Now that it has come to my office maybe this will help.

AJ SPHR · January 2004

First, I strongly recommend that you let the manager deal with the employee. For some reason, people come to us on hygiene issues, dress code issues, cooking fish in the microwave issues - my answer is the manager should deal with it, it's not my job to police these activities or issues. The manager should meet with the employee and delicately inform her that she has a body odor problem and encourage her to practice good hygiene practices.

It also could be a medical situation, so don't assume sloppiness or laziness. But the manager opening up the discussion can at least make her aware of it and deal with it based on what employee states.

LindaS · January 2004

AJ, I have to disagree with you on this issue. You are not being asked to "police" this problem but to address it effectively when it is presented to you. You, as a Human Resource Professional, have signifcant training in dealing with employee relations issues. I highly doubt your managers are as well trained, or should they be. It is my belief that these type of "delicate matters" are best handled in a private, confidential manner through Human Resources.

Delicate Matter

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