You stink....no I mean it literally.

[*Eve*]

Some people have no tact whatsoever. A few weeks ago some of you may remember me starting a thread about a co-worker of mine who has personal hygiene problems. She has a vaginal odor and no one really knew how to tell her that she didn't smell too great. I finally went to my manager and asked her if she could speak to this person about her problem because I knew my manager would be very professional and it would possibly be less embarrassing coming from her than any of the other employees or myself. Anyway, I guess my manager talked to this person because for a couple of weeks the lady in question was okay. There was no odor or anything, then after those intial couple weeks the smell came back stronger than ever. Now this other lady whom I work with has a reputation for speaking her mind and the for some reason the girl with the odor problem got on her nerves. So one day through the whole department we heard, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You're a grown ass woman and you stink. That doesn't make any damn sense!!" Word for word. Of course my co-worker broke into tears, and the lady in question didn't care that she hurt someone's feelings. Well the lady who made that outburst was written up for unprofessional behavior but some of my co-workers think that she's done the right thing by telling her this not caring how she told the lady. Now the whole building knows about the incident and I'm pretty sure that it's embarrasing for my co-worker to go to work after something like that has happened. I don't know how to act around her since this has happened for some reason. I still think that she's a nice person, so what could I do to make her a little more comfortable at work. Should I just pretend that it never happened. Or maybe tell her tactfully that I am concerned about her because I feel that the odor might be a result of a medical condition. Maybe she would take that approach much better.
Comments or advice is welcome.

[Edited by *Eve* on 11-15-2000 at 01:37 PM]

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

That tactless bitch....

Should have her face rubbed in it.......

Hah, take that - bitch.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Talk to your manager again. Seems she handled it well the first time. Most likely they've already discussed the issue together.

 

[dancinvixen]

Yanno, I would say that maybe a little less tact and quietness than your manager and more discreetly that the lady whole flat out told her and made her cry, but it sounds like she may need to see a doctor. Not to be gross or anything, but it may be a fungus causing this and not our natural bacteria. She really should be told. If it were me, I would probably pull her aside, or even like at the end of the day, take her home and tell her then, when she's less likely to be so embarassed.