Can someone get fired because of body odour?

[dancemania]

My female friend has had 2 complaints within two weeks of starting work. Can she get fired because of this? Is the company trying to tell her to quit? She has had no work problems. In addition, she says that initially she had cold sweat becuase the aircon was too cold and she was very nervous when she started work. After that it was better, the aircon was adjusted and she got use to the environment but the boss says she has this problem. As her friend, I feel that they are overreacting as she only sweats a bit and they are complaining. How about other men or women who sweat worst than this - in bigger companies and are doing marketing or sales. Does the boss/ client complain?

Just added:

Admin job in a small office with at least 10 people in the room.

 

[ortega]

best to ask MOM for the real answer

unless we have an official MOM spokesperson
everything posted here is only hearsay and still need to be verified by MOM

also do read the appointment letter for T&C

 

[Caspere]

My female friend has had 2 complaints within two weeks of starting work. Can she get fired because of this? Is the company trying to tell her to quit? She has had no work problems. In addition, she says that initially she had cold sweat becuase the aircon was too cold and she was very nervous when she started work. After that it was better, the aircon was adjusted and she got use to the environment but the boss says she has this problem. As her friend, I feel that they are overreacting as she only sweats a bit and they are complaining. How about other men or women who sweat worst than this - in bigger companies and are doing marketing or sales. Does the boss/ client complain?

It depends on what kind of job.

If you are a doctor, physiotherapist, sport therapist, or just working in spa, BO is a BIG problem.

However, if you are doing work which tend to be alone for long periods of time, BO can be controlled using deodorant products when you need to meet others.

Sit down and talk to the boss regarding this issue and maybe offer solutions instead of guessing....

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

well, if the boss 'dislike' her, she's better off in a new environment, cos can see that she will be stuck in that position for a very long time.

ask her to put on deodorant and perfume and see their reaction, if they accept her, good... else i think the problem is something else, the complain of her body odor is merely a trigger.

 

[dancemania]

It depends on what kind of job.

If you are a doctor, physiotherapist, sport therapist, or just working in spa, BO is a BIG problem.

However, if you are doing work which tend to be alone for long periods of time, BO can be controlled using deodorant products when you need to meet others.

Sit down and talk to the boss regarding this issue and maybe offer solutions instead of guessing....

She has already consulted the doc - no medication. Changed deodorant. The boss says he wants to introduce aroma therapy to the office. Don't you think that would make matters worst. Aroma therapy stinks + her BO.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

She has already consulted the doc - no medication. Changed deodorant. The boss says he wants to introduce aroma therapy to the office. Don't you think that would make matters worst. Aroma therapy stinks + her BO.

btw, just asking only, ignore if u want...

can you take her BO?

 

[dancemania]

well, if the boss 'dislike' her, she's better off in a new environment, cos can see that she will be stuck in that position for a very long time.

ask her to put on deodorant and perfume and see their reaction, if they accept her, good... else i think the problem is something else, the complain of her body odor is merely a trigger.

How can the boss dislike her when she has even done anything wrong or is hardly around. Do you think it is her age? There is one girl who is half her age and maybe she does not like older people. She is not the only older staff there.

 

[dancemania]

btw, just asking only, ignore if u want...

can you take her BO?

To me, her BO is ok. Very mild.

 

[Caspere]

To me, her BO is ok. Very mild.

Could it be the food she eats, or the oils she puts on her hair? I know some friends who people mistakely thinks BO when its their preference for certain oilments and hair oils and even food they consumes. Somehow the meats in their diet interacts with their body enzymes and emit smells obvious to some people.. (I am guessing here due to my experience with some friends)

 

[dancemania]

Could it be the food she eats, or the oils she puts on her hair? I know some friends who people mistakely thinks BO when its their preference for certain oilments and hair oils and even food they consumes. Somehow the meats in their diet interacts with their body enzymes and emit smells obvious to some people.. (I am guessing here due to my experience with some friends)

She's chinese. No oils in her hair. Doesn't eat - onions, pork, oily, spicy or chilly either. Eats alot of bread.

 

[adamadam]

How about lamb?

 

[Dream Merchant]

Acute and chronic BO may be due to many factors.

Has yr friend sought specialist medical assistance instead of just GP assistance? Other alternatives to consider could be homeopathic and natural remedies, as well as things like using certain crystal salts to absorb/combat the odor.

Also, be aware that the powers that be can only go so far as to enforce existing LAWS, if there is no specific and enforced/enforceable law to combat or minimise a certain prejudice .....

 

[tjhan]

To be honest, as cruel as it is, BO is a big problem. Back in my school days, we had this classmate with a terrible Bo problem, and we knew it was medical. Yet most of us still couldn't stand being around her in an enclosed room. I could understand her colleagues and bosses, they feel that they shouldn't have to suffer for no reason.

 

[bengchiat]

My female friend has had 2 complaints within two weeks of starting work. Can she get fired because of this? Is the company trying to tell her to quit? She has had no work problems. In addition, she says that initially she had cold sweat becuase the aircon was too cold and she was very nervous when she started work. After that it was better, the aircon was adjusted and she got use to the environment but the boss says she has this problem. As her friend, I feel that they are overreacting as she only sweats a bit and they are complaining. How about other men or women who sweat worst than this - in bigger companies and are doing marketing or sales. Does the boss/ client complain?

Just added:

Admin job in a small office with at least 10 people in the room.

NO, i won't fire her,
for i won't even hire her in the first place.

i might be the odd one though, cos i avoid food court if possible,
take away if i can,
for i can't take the oily smell that lingers on the clothing.

 

[Parka]

If it comes to the point that her presense affects the productivity of other people, she has to go.

No judgement here. It's just work, if overall productivity drops, and it may because people would be spending time talking about body odour and thinking about body odour.

Here are two audio podcasts relating to body odour at work, from management perspective

How to handle, yes, body odour (part 1)

How to Handle Body Odor (Part 2 of 2)

 

[hongsien]

If she can't take perfume, and some perfumes will stop emitting smell after a few hrs, there is also this powder with perfume smell (forgot the name, but it was an english name)...........and it also absorbs some of the body odour

HS

 

[sORe-EyEz]

maybe adjusting her diet will help a wee bit more.... :dunno:

 

[liveevil]

Use deodorant?? or use those anti-sweat spray to prevent sweating?

 

[forward83]

that time my friend's doctor reccomended him to use dettol soap or body wash...
using those anti-bacterial shower foam helps to combat the bacteria...
this page might be a good read...

 

[waileong]

This is not an MOM question. It's a contractual question.

Typical employment contracts allow either party to terminate for convenience with notice, or cash in lieu of notice.

best to ask MOM for the real answer

unless we have an official MOM spokesperson
everything posted here is only hearsay and still need to be verified by MOM

also do read the appointment letter for T&C