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advice needed-bed bugs at work

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oosterlinck

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? ky

About 2 months ago, rumors started to circulate around at work regarding bed bugs being found in the building where i work. 3 weeks ago the company sent out a statement saying that bedbugs are harmless, but that the areas which they think are infected, would be treated with a heavy sanitizer, which would apparently kill the bugs present, yet not leave any residue or cause any harm to employees. The company was generous enough to offer all employees trashbags upon entering the building to store your personal belongings in. Since that time, I quit bringing any sort of bag to work.Well, last night I woke up, and discovered a bedbug crawling on my ceiling....i went nuts, flipped my matress and box springs up, and found 4 more and a few larvae...
I have voiced my opinion several times at work that the employer should have just shut the place down for a day and made sure all bedbugs were eliminated, yet (of course) nothing was done about it.
Now I am facing costs for exterminator, i have suffered from several bug bites etc....
My thoughts are that the entire situation was handled negligently by my employer.
Would this be something that would stand in court, or do i have to proof that the bedbugs, which are in my apartment now, came from work? If so, how would one go about doing it? I think it would be nearly impossible....
any advice would be greatly appreciated
thanks
 


NLW

Member
That sounds awful. A couple of thoughts:

Firstly, this is not a workers' compensation matter so I'm not sure you're on the right board. My expertise is in work comp - not general liability - which I believe is the experience of most of the regular posters here.

Secondly, I don't know how you would be able to prove that your bug issue came from your employer. Have any of your coworkers had the same problem? It may be helpful to find out. If more than one person has developed this problem, maybe you can demonstrate a trend...that being said, I've read articles and seen on the news that bed bugs are coming back. You can even get them from hotels and bring them home.

Have you tried talking with your employer? Maybe by speaking calmly, rationally, and sincerely, your employer may be willing to help with some of the costs associated with pest removal.

Good luck!
 

mommyof4

Senior Member
Is there a possibility that you unknowingly had bed bugs in your house, and that YOU actually brought them to work?
What do you think the possibility that the OP will be reading your reply as the OP's last activity was 10-19-2008?:cool:
 

charmeddvd123

Junior Member
If more than one person has developed this problem, maybe you can demonstrate a trend...that being said, I've read articles and seen on the news that bed bugs are coming back. You can even get them from hotels and bring them home
 

bittodeath

Junior Member
serious lawsuit

I am all bit up by bedbugs on the third shift where I have to work at this front desk. My co-workers are also being bitten but I have it the worst with like twenty bites one night and twelve the next. I only have to be there two nights a week but that is when it happens. My co-worker found two bedbugs and I took it upon myself to call the exterminator company which our office uses. He said he would call the Property Manager but this manager keeps doing nothing. I wanted to set off a bug bomb this week overnight but exterminator advised against it. I have photos of extesive red bites the size of a quarter on me and they have seen them. I had to take Benedryl to stop the swelling and my face was swelling up- I was having a reaction. As of today, several days after I confronted the Property Manager on the phone and the exterminator in person, if nothing continues to be done, I want to file a lawsuit because this is not right!!! I depend on this job to pay my rent and have been an employee for ten years. I feel we should not have to put up with this situation and I intend to call a member of the Board of Directors who is a medical doctor and blow the whistle on this Property Manager! Any advice?
 

pattytx

Senior Member
Two pieces of advice.

Yes, call the higher-ups.

And next time, start your on thread instead of hijacking one over a year old.
 

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