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Distracting coughing
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Distracting coughing
Discuss employment-law issues such as family leave, overtime, disabilities law, harassment, immigration and termination.
Not sure where this falls. We have an employee ("John") who has a chronic cough. The office is small and the entire staff is keenly aware and often disrupted by it.
As the personnel guru, I have ap
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Forums » Topic Forums » Legal Forum » Distracting coughing
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/10/2011 6:50 AM EST
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Posts: 217
First: 3/22/2005 Last: 8/29/2011 |
I used to work with an employee who had similar problems and it was related to the perfumes and flowers her co-workers wore and had on their desks. She 'didn't want to make a fuss' so never said anything until it became unbearable for her, and those around her. It was true that she only coughed like that at work because she had eliminated the causes of her allergies in her home. Just a thought. |
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/11/2011 4:49 AM EST
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Posts: 1
First: 1/11/2011 Last: 1/11/2011 |
. . . the issue is about the harrassment concern(of the cougher) not resolving the cough.
Do the comments create a hostile work environment? Federal law does not prohibit teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not extremely serious. Obviously, there are people who have personal habits or illnesses, that we, as professionals, need to block out to get our work done (loud talkers, sneezers, coughers). I think your employees need to "grow up" a bit. |
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/11/2011 4:59 AM EST
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Posts: 1
First: 1/11/2011 Last: 1/11/2011 |
If the coughing is caused by someone's perfume, how do you get the perfume wearer to stop wearing it? I had this problem with a complaining cougher and the worker refused to stop wearing perfume, she said it was her prerogative. We don't have a company wide fragrance policy. |
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/11/2011 6:34 AM EST
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Posts: 1771
First: 10/24/2002 Last: 9/14/2011 |
You don't have to have a fragrance policy in order to get an employee to stop wearing perfume. The only issue you might have is if you start treating perfume-wearers differently based on things like their race, gender, religion, or disability, and so on. As long as you're not doing that, you are well within your legal rights to fire this employee for continuing to wear perfume after you've told her to stop. |
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/11/2011 8:43 AM EST
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Posts: 12
First: 10/10/2000 Last: 6/1/2011 |
I am glad folk mentioned perfume and cologne. These are common triggers of respiratory and even migraine events. Much like peanut and wheat related allergies these interactions should be minimized in the work place. With fragrance free detergents garnering 1/3 or more of shelf space in mega markets there is clear and obvious evidence that this is an issue. If you have a no smoking policy you are "aware" of the problems associated with indoor air pollution. Failure to act could open the door to expensive legal action.
Another topic needs to be addressed. Chronic coughs can have numerous causes including tuberculosis, legionnaires disease and lung cancer. This individual should visit a doctor. Privacy rules can make it difficult to address this issue or even know that the individual has seen a doctor. Twice in my work experience I have been notified by public health to get a TB test because an unidentified coworker was diagnosed with active TB. I also know of a high schooler that contracted TB after a week in South America. That is three cases in 30 years so while uncommon TB is a real work place issue. An important point is that a cough can have have benign or serious causes. Work with the individual in confidence and act proactively where and when you can. |
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Distracting coughing
posted at 1/11/2011 2:12 PM EST
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Posts: 1
First: 1/11/2011 Last: 1/11/2011 |
Some employees are definitely more sensitive than others to environmental factors. Unless you work with a lot of employees, you don't get to witness a broad cross-section of people with health issues.
Personally, I cough when the humidity is low. Also, not drinking enough water will make me constantly clear my throat. Drinking water solves both of those problems. Put a water cooler in the office. I worked in a doctor's office with lots of patient file folders stacked on rows and rows of shelves. I could smell the dust every morning when I came to work. For 5 years, every 6 months I would be off work with severe asthma for an entire week. I'd show up at my doctor's office with blue lips because I wasn't getting enough oxygen. After I left that job, I never had another asthma related problem again. |
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