sneezing and coughing

[flosser32]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?Oregon I have been employed by a dental office for 19 years. Two years ago I started sneezing throughout the day while at work. This annoyed my employers, and they requested I get checked by a doctor. I had allergy testing twice with no allergies found in their panels. I had sinus surgery, and was put on allergy medicine and nasal spray. It still didn't make it go away. A couple months ago our office manager approached me and told me the doctors were upset again, and that I needed to go back to the doctor, and that if the sneezing didn't stop I would be terminated. I went back to the doctor and they said I couldn't be terminated for this, and put me on different medicines, zertec d, singular, and nasal spray. Now my mouth is so dry all day, I cough. My manager approached me on Tuesday and said it has gotten worse again, this is my final notice, and the doctors want me to stop sneezing and coughing. I explained how dry my mouth is that when I go to speak to a patient, I start coughing. I tell my patients it's allergy, sinus, etc. and that I am not contagious. I wear a mask while working with patients. Our insuance is 2500 dollar deductable with no prescription coverage. I do not get along with one of the doctors, who is a senior partner. He will tell all my patients that he is so healthy, I take as a dig at being overweight and smoking. He is always rude to me in front of my patients, to the point of yelling at me in front of them. I was told he is the one pushing to get me fired, even though my work is without reproach, I am a good hygienist, my patients love me. Also the ear nose and throat specialist said I do have an allergy to something in the dental office, and the allergist said I am hypersensitive to dental smells. I just want to know if they can fire me, for something I have developed while working there, and have done almost everything possible to try to stop. Please help me, I love my job, coworkers, doctors. What can I do?

 

[JETX]

I do not get along with one of the doctors, who is a senior partner. He will tell all my patients that he is so healthy, I take as a dig at being overweight and smoking.

Gee, do you think that purposely aggravating a senior partner is helping your cause??

He is always rude to me in front of my patients, to the point of yelling at me in front of them.

Hmmmm... sounds to me like he isn't the one (or at least the ONLY one) who is being 'rude'..... and disrespectful!!

I was told he is the one pushing to get me fired

And it sounds like he might have good reason, huh??

even though my work is without reproach, I am a good hygienist, my patients love me.

And of course, your actual work 'product' is not the only thing you are 'graded' on.

Also the ear nose and throat specialist said I do have an allergy to something in the dental office, and the allergist said I am hypersensitive to dental smells.

Then it sounds like your decision is made for you.... simply, you can't work in a dentist office if you are allergic to the 'smells', can you?? Your situation is not unlike someone who has to move to a different 'climate' due to their allergies.... you just have to move to a different 'office environment'.

I just want to know if they can fire me, for something I have developed while working there, and have done almost everything possible to try to stop. Please help me, I love my job, coworkers, doctors. What can I do?

Bottom line.... nothing. It sounds to me that if they actually were unable to terminate you do to your 'sneezing' (I will leave others to determine if that is 'protected'), they probably have sufficient other reasons to justify your termination.

 

[Katy W.]

Your disorder doesn't qualify for a disability under the ADA. I can't tell how long you have been experiencing these problems, but a disorder has to be extremely long lasting to qualify as a disability. Go to the eeoc.gov website and look up the definition of a disability.

I'm sorry but, if I had a dental hygenist who was sneezing while she was working on me I would complain, even if I liked her. Most of us don't need one more reason to avoid the dentist.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

While you may indeed be hypersensitive to something in the dental office, can that be proven? How are you during vacation times or when you are off on the weekend?

Big question is going to be, have you tried to quit smoking? That may help control you hyperreactactivity. While the Rx may control the sneezing, there are ways to control the dry mouth if that is the cause of the cough. If you can identify anything in the work environment causing this condition, you might have a worker's comp case, so you might consult a worker's compensation attorney, after you quit smoking, I can't see you having any case while you continue to smoke.

 

[cbg]

I have to agree. Under the definition of the ADA, it has to severely impact a major life function to qualify. I don't see that sneezing qualifies.

Barring ADA protection, the employer is free to fire you if your sneezing and coughing is disruptive in the workplace. I also think that both Katy and Ms. Cupcake (rmet to you) have valid points in their respective last paragraphs.