Smoker in nearby cubicle making me ill

[Anonymous]

An air purifier only works if you put it at the source of the smell, eg, in front of a lit cigarette so it can suck in the smoke. So it won't help much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a desk fan and some Febreze

Please no febreze. That just adds additional allergens to the air.

[Anonymous]

Perfume is a very well-known allergen. It can cause hayfever, asthma, migraines. Laughing at someone because they Ask others they have to spend eight hours a day with not to wear perfume is incredibly ignorant and selfish. Also, covering up the cigarette allergens with perfume would do nothing to help decrease op's symptoms. That might cover up the smell some, the allergens would still be in the air. Adding perfume will only make things worse for people with allergies.
I hope someday you experience health issues and have a loved one experience health issues that other people scoff at.

[Anonymous]

Get a doctor's note stating that you have non-allergic rhinitis. I do, and when I was a junior attorney and had to share an office, my officemate's extremely pungent perfume made me physically ill (headache and nausea). Ignore the PPs telling you to suck it up. I am also a fed, and at least at my old agency, the managers and HR personnel were accustomed to dealing with these issues. You really will not look like too much of a delicate flower, and it is better than being sick every day.

[Anonymous]

I have a coworker who eats food that makes me nauseous (to the point of almost vomiting). And he eats it at his desk, every day.

The food is of an ethnic variety.

How well received do you think it would be if I complained to HR? There are no other cubicles for me to move to. And we're all in the same office, so it wouldn't make much of a difference if I switched with someone else.

It's fine to ask to be moved to a different cubicle if that is an option. But other than that, I do think it's a matter of just sucking it up. Sure, get air freshener, an air purifier, a fan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a coworker who eats food that makes me nauseous (to the point of almost vomiting). And he eats it at his desk, every day.

The food is of an ethnic variety.

How well received do you think it would be if I complained to HR? There are no other cubicles for me to move to. And we're all in the same office, so it wouldn't make much of a difference if I switched with someone else.

It's fine to ask to be moved to a different cubicle if that is an option. But other than that, I do think it's a matter of just sucking it up. Sure, get air freshener, an air purifier, a fan.

How many people have to post about perfume allergies this before people stop suggesting it: do not use air fresheners or perfume in the work place to solve this issue! It only adds allergens to the air.

[Anonymous]

You shouldn't have to be nauseous at work every day, OP. Talk to HR.

[Anonymous]

Febreze...yuck. i can't believe people succumb to their marketing.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't complain, I would just ask to move to a different spot. If asked why, you can elaborate.