Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tough Choices
Did everyone get perfume for Christmas and feel compelled to wear it to work? Feels that way to me. A friend once said to me "growing old 'aint for sissies". Well she should try it with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity on top of arthritis and hot flashes. It takes a lot of courage to face going into an office every day when I know I'll have a splitting headache within thirty minutes and have to work that way all day. I've been having to take alergy meds to aleviate a bit of the headaches and lethargy caused by my body's reaction to all the toxins in the air then have to take an energy booster to combat the drousiness caused by the meds. I feel like a walking science experiment about to explode and this is just so I can get some work done. I spoke to the HR person at work about requesting that employees refrain from wearing scent to work and she said that you can't do that because they have a perfect right to wear perfume if they want to and that I'll just have to get used to it. Tried to explain to her that MCS is not a preference but a health problem but it made no difference. This is the same person who expounds diversity in the workplace. Go figure!
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2 comments:
I tried to post a comment with links but couldn't.
Look up the JAN website (Job Accommodation Network) for their MCS page. MCS is recognized as a disability by the ADA so you do have a legal right to be accommodated.
There are a couple of things you can do to claim your rights to full access to a safe workplace. You can find a physician (an MD) who will officially diagnose you with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity triggered by the bad air in your office, and you can find an attorney versed in disability rights who can advise you (and send a letter to HR). It can be difficult to find professionals in those two fields who are versed in MCS, but with some digging and persistence, you can find professionals to make your case to your employer.
You may be the very first person at your place of work to bring up your right to clean air, and so your persistence at asserting your rights will help others-- both the administrators of policy at your company, and others who are affected by toxic chemicals in the workplace (and perfume IS made of toxic chemicals, the ill affects have nothing to do with the smell per se). Even if they argue that they cannot force employees not to wear perfume, they can certainly find you an alternative safe work space. My employer allows me to work from home because of my MCS.
If you do not pursue your rights now, I fear your health will continue to deteriorate until you become fully disabled. So pay attention to these red flags, and you go girl!
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