[NAGDU] fleas in the workplace, and other work related things

Thu Aug 31 19:26:18 UTC 2017

Oh yes, allergies have already been brought up, but luckily that coworker only stayed for about 4 months and moved out of town, but I was talked to about this as well, and they were at least aware that the allergy thing was not going to be reason enough to have me change work stations, etc. In fact, they knew that she would have had to be the one to be moved. So at least that was good. But, I am having tons of other problems with HR here at work. One of these is also about Sadie. I was just getting off the phone with a client, and Sadie was nearby and had gotten up to excitedly greet a new coworker that HR had brought to the door. I didn't know that we were having new people introduced that day, or I would have had her right beside me on leash and been aware of it. This was after I'd already put Sadie in the "down" position, so I called her to me so that she would stop acting excitedly and nudging the new coworker, which she resisted coming to me, and my supervisor who was with the HR staff said, oh she's not doing anything wrong, she's just greeting a new person. I said, yes I understand, but since she's a service dog, she's expected to follow obedience commands and to act appropriately, and since she isn't doing that, I let her know that I was unhappy with her behavior.  The only thing I did is to physically go get her and put her in her place and give her a firm, stay, and so a few days later, I was taken into the conference room and told that I was being written up for causing a hostile work environment, and potentially running off a newly hired coworker, because this coworker felt I was hostile, and when I explained myself to the supervisor that day during the ordeal, I was apparently disrespectful to her and embarrassed her, because she did not need to be told that Sadie was a service dog, she already knew that, and I was written up for that too, so 2 writeups about The same incident but from different angles. So, I was told by HR that, if this was ever seen or heard by her or told to her again, that I would be terminated and we would have major issues to deal with. I told both HR and my boss that I would not abandon my responsibility to keep my dog under control as best I can at all times, and that includes giving corrections if necessary, and I'm sorry if they see this as being hostile, but, I was not hostile to either Sadie during the discipline or to the supervisor when explaining why I was having her lie back down. So, since then I have not had anyone say anything about me being hostile, but yeah, I have so many things going on at work right now it's not even funny. 
Thanks all,
Kerri

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 31, 2017, at 1:57 PM, Star Gazer via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Yes, Rox is correct. Have the vet write letters. 
> Also document what is going on in case you want to sue for discrimination.
> I'm not kidding or being dramatic, I see a coworker with "allergies" in your
> future. 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of The Pawpower Pack
> via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 1:59 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: The Pawpower Pack <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] fleas in the workplace
> 
> Oh Kerri,
> I have had this same problem before and it's very upsetting.  What I did was
> had 2 vets examine my dog, and both wrote letters. Both letters stated that
> there was no signs of fleas, flea-eggs, or signs of recent infestations.  
> Both vets sent letters and kept copies. In the letters they also pointed out
> that fleas can be tracked in from anywhere, our office had rats at the time
> and also wild cats living on the office lawn. Also other coworkers had
> animals.  All of these things were pointed out. 
> I wish you the very best. 
> 
> 
> Rox and the kitchen Bitches: 
> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Aug 31, 2017, at 11:46 AM, Kerri Sprecher via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi list,
>> I have a huge concern that I need some advice about.
>> On Tuesday, I was pulled aside and told by my supervisor and HR, that
> Sadie had been seen to have fleas, and that it was immediately necessary for
> her to get treated, which I had already done this past weekend with the
> normal frontline I always use. I told them I had already treated her, but
> that I would use a topical spray (such as hearts brand), and they also
> demanded that I treat the whole office that I work in, because they looked
> it up in the ADA regulations and made sure to point out that I am
> responsible for this. Ok, I already know this and agree that I would be the
> one to treat for this problem, so I promptly had her examined, and it was
> found that she did not have fleas at all, but today, I was pulled aside
> again and asked if I had a chance to get her treated or dipped yet, and I
> said that I had done the topical spray and yes, I had her examined and found
> that she did not in fact have a single flea on her body. I asked the HR
> person if she or anyone else had actually walked up to Sadie and looked at
> her fur and visually seen fleas on her, and instead of saying yes or no, her
> immediate answer, which spoke volumes, was, she was seen scratching, so what
> else could it be but fleas on her and someone in your office saw a flea on
> themselves, and today someone is still getting flea bites. So, basically, I
> was straight up lied to Tuesday, because they told me that she was seen to
> have fleas. That's exactly the wording used, seen to have fleas. They are
> blaming me unnecessarily and unfairly, when fleas can be tracked in from
> infested grass anywhere. How do they know that it couldn't have been on
> someone shoes in the grass here at work? I was told that if this continued,
> they would address it more severely, that they know I need my service dog,
> but that it's causing workplace issues and health issues. But, Sadie clearly
> does NOT have them and has been properly treated. What do I do?
>> Kerri
>> 
>> 
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