[NAGDU] fleas in the workplace

Thu Aug 31 22:08:58 UTC 2017

when I was working this character insisted that someone (an anonymous 
person) had seen a flea and then asked how would I really know if my dog 
had fleas if a sighted person didn't check him... This was a person who 
was always asking me how I did things everything from shaving to 
dressing. Anyway, when she said the report was anonymous I said my 
answer would be too. I figured if it's really something serious I'd hear 
more about it but I didn't. It did leave me feeling a little nervous 
about who is doing what around my dog so i was careful about leaving my 
dog unattended...of course, for all I know, that anonymous report might 
have been an invented one--lol

and no, to my knowledge my dog didn't have fleas--lol. I talked to my 
vet about it and he said "well look Dan , there's no guarantee thee e 
might not be some flea jumping on your dog but he won't last with he 
flea-preventatives, I mean a flea could be anywhere theoretically' he 
put it that way to show me how ridiculous he thought the whole thing at 
work was.

Take care and I only wish you the best, I agree with stargazer, 
document, just if nothing else for your own  peace of mind.

On 8/31/2017 2:49 PM, Gary Steeves via NAGDU wrote:
> hi:
>
> I had a similar experience a few years ago with Bogart.  my HR person was under my desk hooking up a printer or something and said she was bit by a flea.  ironically, like you, I had just started my dog on his flea medication.  I just give it for 6 months of the star here in Canada.  I too took my dog to the vet to get him checked out only because this vet have us free visits and only charged us for  treatments. of course, he was clean.  I felt very annoyed by all of this.  I'm sure she was bit by a spider or something.  I think it is enough to. say you check for fleas on your dog, ie: we groom our dogs regularly and would notice their bites if nothing else, so if there are fleas they aren't coming from your dog and you would like them to get to the bottom of this do your dog doesn't get fleas from your work space.
>
> i won't speak for others but I know sometimes I go overboard to make sure my dog is the least bother /distraction or whatever at work that I can do in my case I. took the extra steps that I probably shouldn't have until it was proved there were fleas since, in my case, the exterminators came and never found any signs of fleas.
>
> gary
>
>
> On August 31, 2017 10:12:16 AM PDT, NAGDU President via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Kerri
>>
>> 	Though I am not an attorney, my opinion is that you need to do
>> nothing! If your workplace contends that there is a flea issue and that
>> your
>> dog is the source of that issue, it is up to them to demonstrate this
>> is so.
>> This is what is known as an affirmative defense. In other words, it is
>> up to
>> your employer to demonstrate that your dog is the source of the issue;
>> it is
>> not up to you to demonstrate your dog is not. You have already gone
>> above
>> and beyond by having your dog examined and found to be free of fleas.
>> Scratching can be the result of many other issues, including boredom!
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)
>> National Federation of the Blind
>> (813) 626-2789
>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>
>>
>> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
>> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
>> expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind
>> people
>> and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what
>> holds
>> you back.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kerri
>> Sprecher
>> via NAGDU
>> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 12:47 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Kerri Sprecher
>> Subject: [NAGDU] fleas in the workplace
>>
>> 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 actuall  y 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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