Perfume policy in SC

mkmaci · August 2004

We have an employee who is very allergic to perfume scents. She has difficulty hearing and wears a hearing aid. Her allergy is affecting her hearing and she has lost more hearing in the past year. We moved an employee (who used a lot of perfume) from the desk next to her to another location. The supervisor in her department has asked people to refrain from using perfume. In a monthly meeting this week, the employee described her problem and asked fellow employees to refrain from using perfume. We still have a problem. To what degree is the company responsible for the environment around an employee?

Leslie · August 2004

If you do a search in the Employment Law forum there is a huge thread regarding this.

Rockie · August 2004

I'd advise the employee who is still wearing perfume to refrain from wearing it as it is causing her co-worker this serious problem. I cannot understand why someone who knows this causes great distress to a co-worker could not refrain from "scenting" themselves during work hours.

We have this issue in our medical practice. Clinical people are prohibited from wearing scents and we ask non-clinicals to use sparingly or not at all. We would not have a problem banning it organization wide if we had issues with people not being considerate.

hrdir03nafcu · August 2004

In response to the posting by Crout, PA, I feel compelled to respond as one of the allergic types.

I, too, am allergic to perfumes + colognes, and have often found myself coughing and choking uncontrollably in the presence of someone who feels it necessary to douse themselves w/ gobs of perfume or cologne.

Regardless of whether or not it really does affect the hearing of the individual in question, these "scents" do have a real impact in other ways on the health of those of us who are allergic.

Crout · August 2004

I'm always skeptical when I see stuff like this, so I'd have to see the medical report that states her progressive hearing loss is due to a co-worker wearing perfume. The fact is we're literally surrounded by scents, whether it's the soap we shower with or the detergent we use for clothing. Even so-called "unscented" soap IS a scent! I'm sure your EE suddenly feels relief when she can't smell perfume, but I question how much of that is real and how much is in her head. On the other hand, even if the symptoms are psychosomatic, they're still symptoms.

Shadowfax · August 2004

As one who shares such an alegy, I sympathize. I don't know about the hearing aspects, but perfume can make me instantly neauseated and violent headache. We have a couple of others who, although not so severe, experience discomfort with perfume, so we simply banned it from the workplace. There was some initial grumbling, but that was it. Perfume has the same effect on me as does cigar smoke. Wierd but true. Some candles the same. I'd just prohibit it.

Whatever · August 2004

Many years ago, when you went into a department store, you walked a gauntlet of people trying to spray you with perfume. However, so many people got sick, that they now they ask. However, the gauntlet is still there. I sometimes get a headache from the perfume scent that permeates catalogs I get in the mail.

Perfume policy in SC

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