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

Thu Aug 31 19:55:07 UTC 2017

Cindy, yes, I think you're right; I have thought about it and yes, I'm keeping her on leash right beside me now. I just like to give her room to walk around the small office a little bit every now and then, and it just so happened that at that time, a new person was coming through; so, I have resorted back to taking her out every couple of hours, which they are ok with.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 31, 2017, at 2:34 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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