Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Friday, April 03, 2009 miles asks

Q: Need women at work to quit wearing perfume

Perfume is a horrible migraine trigger for me. The women in the office where I work wear it all the time -- lots of it. Talked to my boss. He said "live with it," but gets ticked when I get a migraine. 

 

Isn't there some kind of law about workplaces that should protect me?

 

Thank you,

Miles

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Answers (3)
Teri Robert, Health Guide
4/ 9/09 1:58pm

Dear Miles,

 

We have a new expert who will be writing about legal issues. She'll be addressing this in one of her SharePosts. We'll come back and post a link for you.

 

Thanks,

Teri

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4/ 4/09 9:13pm

Miles -- I don't know if there's a law about this, but I was able to locate two different law suits on coworkers who were wearing perfume at work.  If you showed your boss these articles, he may see that it is important not only for your health, but it could be for the health of his business too.  Here are those links:  http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-05-24-perfume-suit_x.htm  http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090109/STATE/90109020

 

In the first article, the DJ kept losing her voice and time from work before she was fired.  The second article was a workman's comp case and around a different type of medical issue caused by the perfume.  

 

I got that "live with it" comment one time and I have to tell you in the end, it didn't go over well for the person who said it to me.  I hope you have the same outcome I did.  Good luck. 

 

Reply
4/20/09 5:20pm

Miles - I have posted an answer to your question in a Sharepost here: Migraines, Perfume, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Yes there is a law, and yes you can ask your employer to impose a no-perfume rule!

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By miles— Last Modified: 12/27/10, First Published: 04/03/09