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head lice at work

hrnewbyhrnewby 40 Posts
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We have an employee who says her child has head lice and she also is infected, although she did not go to the doctor. She says she needs to take at least one week off to get rid of the nits. I was under the impression lice are spread by head-to-head contact between humans, such as sharing combs, coats being hung next to each other, etc. If we ask this employee to manage her hygiene (don't leave your comb in the restroom, etc.) can she come back to work without the entire office worrying about catching the lice? I wonder how many people are working right now with head lice! By the way, she is out of sick/personal time for the year. Thank you
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  • NaeNae55NaeNae55 3,243 Posts
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    Head lice are extremely contagious. While brushes and hats are the most common reason for the infection spreading, all you really have to do is have your head close to someone who has them. I personally would not want to work with someone who is currently infected.

    However, modern medicines effectively kill the lice and their nits in a brief amount of time. Why would she feel she needs a full week off? I know schools won't allow children back in until they are lice and nit free. Does she think it will take that long to get them all out? It usually takes a day or so, but I have never heard of it taking a week.

    Good luck!

    Nae
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  • cnghrcnghr 719 Posts
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    In my personal experience, I think a week sounds excessive to rid yourself of head lice. When my kids were in grade school they came home with them twice that I can remember, and infected me one of those times. We just used the prescribed treatments on our heads and sprayed the furniture, washed all the bedding, etc. and were free of them in a couple of days.


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  • stilldazedstilldazed 640 Posts
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    I would also question the week off. There are OTC products in most discount pharmacies that will eradicate the little beasts in one or two shampooings. They are highly contagious, but modern therapies are fairly effective. Mandatory cutting of the hair and multiple daily applications of smelly concoctions are a thing of the past. Maybe she's taking care of other issues, such as moving her child to a different school(?).
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  • hrnewbyhrnewby 40 Posts
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    Thank you for your help. After making sure the employee took all necessary measures (using OTC product, washing linens, combing thru hair, etc.) she came back to work after only 1 day after we talked a bit. Sources tell me that she did have daycare issues with an older child, not the 3 yr. old who supposedly gave her the head lice. That child she took to daycare...!
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  • stilldazedstilldazed 640 Posts
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    Call it the iceberg theory. You probably got about 10% of the whole story the first time through. Inevitably, when you start to ask a few questions, the rest of the story begins to surface.

    Glad things worked out.
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