Some advice please, here is the scenario…

[Buzzer]

You are the manager of a small (20 staff) unit in the public sector. One day one of your staff returns from a few days sick and tells you that they have developed a serious allergy to orange zest. You already know that they have a serious allergy to shellfish and carry medication (injection) in case of exposure. They request that you ask the other staff not to peel and eat oranges in the rest room where everyone has their breaks and lunch at the same time. Personnel advise that to be on the safe side, you write to all the staff to ask them not to bring in and eat oranges in the communal rest room, and to ask staff to sign to say they have received, and agree to the letter.

The member of staff with the allergy is not the most popular member of staff. Following sending out the letters, some of the staff are upset at being asked not to eat oranges, some of them have been bringing them in every day for years… some people have returned the letters and agreed not to bring oranges in the future. However, some are grumbling and saying they may refuse. The situation is causing contention and unrest.

When the letters are returned it becomes apparent that some staff are prepared to make a stand. They feel that the individual in question is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Some are saying they have eaten oranges in the same room as said individual without any ill effects.

How would you handle this from now on? Where does the manager stand in such a situation? Is this a reasonable request in the circumstances?

Over to the wisdom of Pistonheads for advice!

[mybrainhurts]

You'll have to get them all on Vodafone....

[nonegreen]

Tell the bint with the daft allergy to get a life.

[pagey]

PMSL

[srebbe64]

First of all I'd ask for a letter from the person's doctor. If one appeared I'd then call the doctor to get the facts. Following which, I'd make my decision.

[blindswelledrat]

Surely its down to him/her to not use the room and not for everyone else to have to tiptoe round her?
If I was one of your other staff I know for a fact i would spend the rest of eternity planting orange bits everywhere this person may ever go. I would also be leaving bags of oranges on top of semi-open doors she was about to walk through. Whilst she wasn't looking I would sellotape oranges to her back with the words 'kick me very hard' written on them and I would also fill her emergency syringes with orange juice and/ or shell fish.
I trust this helps

[Buzzer]

Nonegreen, what makes you think the individual is a bint? No reference is made to the gender of the individual….

[monkeyhanger]

Issue the Jaffa dodger with paper mask, vileda gloves paper suit. Tell them if they don't like it, they can jolly well lump it.


I suffer from hayfever, however i do not expect the farmer who owns the field opposite my house to shut up shop or erect plastic screens to save my sniffles. I just get on with life :

>> Edited by monkeyhanger on Wednesday 15th February 23:10

[benyeats]

Sounds familiar

To many an orange is an important part of going out. Who do these people think they are dictating that I can't enjoy Oranges when they are harming no one but me. OK this guy might be worried about passive Orange intake but he could always stay away from people eating Oranges

Ben

[mybrainhurts]

Buzzer said:

Nonegreen, what makes you think the individual is a bint? No reference is made to the gender of the individual….

Trust us....

[Buzzer]

mybrainhurts said:

You'll have to get them all on Vodafone....

[pies]

id want to see some evidence, as orange and its zest are a major ingredient for people who have allergies

[AndyWoodall]

Sympathetic bunch here eh.

I agree with what someone said above, get confirmation from a doctor and work from there.

[Parrot of Doom]

Oranges aren't the only fruit you know..........

[alfaman]

srebbe64 said:

First of all I'd ask for a letter from the person's doctor. If one appeared I'd then call the doctor to get the facts. Following which, I'd make my decision.

[DanBoy]

Laaaaaaame.

Why should every one else suffer a reduced vitamin C intake because of one malingering git?

[ridds]

If only it was O2. Like to see them survie without that in the office......

Sorry. Yep doctors note. Proof first then request that people leave their aranges in a certain area and eatthem in that area too. All are happy then.

[deevlash]

tell the citrus scaredy that the others have every right to eat oranges and that a small chair will be made available for her outside the front door and if your feeling nice then you could perhaps provide an umbrella

[nonegreen]

mybrainhurts said:

Buzzer said: Nonegreen, what makes you think the individual is a bint? No reference is made to the gender of the individual…. Trust us....

There are a number of clues....

1 No self respecting man would admit to an orange allergy unless he had donned the dress and bra and was trying to work his ticket. This does happen, mostly in the public sector cos in the real world most employers would just fire his arse.

2 In an all male private sector blue collar environment admitting to an orange allergy would result in being sprayed with orange juice daily, probably on your bollox.

3 This could only happen in a very special public sector type environment. The kind that perhaps was once the civil service but is now a pseudo private "agency" Such as Learning and Skills councils, Development agencies (RDA), ACAS. The alternative of course is a college of FE, plenty of nests of vipers there.

So in short my long years of working in environments full to overflowing with whining little bitches, well a few anyway, leads me to conclude its a bint.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

nonegreen said:

There are a number of clues....

Public Sector, meet Mr Real World...

Edited to say, glad I'm not the manager, sounds a right mess to be handed with no easy route out short of just nuking the office from orbit.


>> Edited by Pot Bellied Fool on Thursday 16th February 01:17