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

Cindy Ray cindyray at gmail.com
Thu Aug 31 19:34:41 UTC 2017


Kerri, I think maybe I would always have her right beside me whether or not
there were new people coming through. This might keep that problem from
coming up again, though it probably came up because, indeed, the other
person was embarrassed. She did know Sadie is a service dog, so that's
probably why she saw it as hostile, but my word, how ridiculous that whole
thing is. It would make going to work no fun for sure.
Cindy Lou Ray
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kerri Sprecher
via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 2:26 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kerri Sprecher <spedangel84 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] fleas in the workplace, and other work related things

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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