Shannon - I was an HR Executive for years and you have a lot of legal on your side. However, if there is someone in your office that has severe allergies, they also have legal on their side. I have no idea the dynamic of your workplace, but HR can NOT enforce you to stop using personal hygiene products UNLESS there is someone in the office that has a medically documented allergy (such as peanut, etc.). If this were truly the case, then they could legally ban cologne, perfume and all scented products, which is just not possible and infringes on your personal freedoms.
If they approach you about the oils, you can simply tell them that you are NOT using them in the office. That means you can go outside on your break and lather up all you want. THEY CAN NOT tell you what you can do outside of the workplace. Therefore, if someone smokes, cross-dresses, drinks Lysol, or baths in essential oil they have absolutely NO RIGHT to tell you otherwise....it is illegal.
What they can tell you is NOT to use it in the workplace IF someone has a medically documented allergy. Therefore, diffusing the oils would be an altogether different situation because that would be no different than someone smoking in the next cubicle over...it is and can seep in to their space. However, using a roll-on is entirely different because people use deodorant, perfume, lipstick, etc. that all carry perfumes, and this means of application is not considered infringing on anyone elses air space.
I hear you when you say that you are an introvert and can imagine that when you are called in to the HR office, it can be intimidating. HOWEVER, you need to remember that they CAN NOT fire you for using personal self care products (perfumes, deodorants, oils, etc.) at home, in your care, during your lunch break (unless you are taking your break in the building), etc. What they are doing when they are meeting with you (I hope they are doing this anyway) is just trying to pacify both you and another employee. They ALSO have to tend to the complaints of another employee. For all you know, they may think the other employee is being beyond ridiculous, but, due to their position, they have to hear them out and they have to SHOW that they are doing the best they can to resolve the complaint. THIS DOES NOT MEAN that you are AT FAULT for anything. All they are trying to do is satisfy the complaining employee to the best of their ability, and they need to show or document that they have done so (Meeting took place at such and such a time and employee agrees to do the following...blah, blah, blah). This is just to cover their butts legally. Unfortunately, as the employee, it doesn't always feel that way. But, if you can remember that THEY CAN NOT FIRE YOU over this....they would have to document something HUGE in order to fire you over using a personal product....then perhaps you can be manned with information and not feel so intimidated. If that employee brings it up again, just keep telling them you are NOT USING OILS IN THE WORKPLACE. If you put them on your feet, or even bath in them BEFORE you get to work, she and HR have no right to tell you to stop (except, again, if there is someone that has a medical allergy but that is a whole other arena of legal issues, which still does not mean they can tell you to NOT use your oils...just gets more complex).
In a nutshell, empower yourself, don't be a victim to this anymore, DON'T LET THEM BULLY YOU because the law is actually on your side. They could get sued up the WAAZOO if they fired you over using oils, especially if you state to them that you are NOT using them in the workplace. They have NO jurisdiction outside of that office, just as they have no jurisdiction with anyone who smokes or wheres perfume outside of the office, but just so happens everyone else can smell it. Don't let the office atmosphere get more toxic. Take control, empower, and BELIEVE ME...you can not get fired over this and if they do...GET A GOOD LAWYER because YOU WILL WIN!!! Good luck to you and I hope this can help you in anyway!!
On Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:04:28 PM UTC-8, shannon nelson wrote:
Hello, I have been using doTERRA oils since November. I struggle with--
chronic migraines and cystic acne, pcos, among other things so they
have been very helpful to me. I work in an office and had some people
around me complain that they were allergic to the scents I was using,
even when I explained what they were and HR and my manager got
involved. I (and the two people on my team) moved to another part of
the building.
Now, maybe a month or so later, my manager and HR called me out to say
that people are leaving early due to nausea, itching eyes and nose,
etc. and it is being attributed to me. Even when I don't use the oils,
people are complaining. I was told that it is maybe a scent permeated
into my coat/scarf etc. And they say that if I stop using them and
have migraines reoccur, I should fill out new FMLA paperwork to
protect my job.
I feel so frustrated. Has anyone encountered anything like this?
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