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Post Info TOPIC: When a Co-Worker Regularly Bleeds Onto Office Furniture


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Two Simple Proposals for When a Co-Worker Regularly Bleeds Onto Office Furniture

 
shutterstock_64450447“Linda, I need to tell you something ... ”

Photo byDusan Jankovic/Shutterstock

This week, Reddit has the women of Slate pondering a question we never thought anyone would have to ask: What should you do when a co-worker regularly leaves menstrual stains on office furniture? In the popular women’s-oriented subreddit TwoXChromosomes, a woman using the username Awkwardstink complained about a co-worker who smells noticeably of menstrual blood and leaves bloodstains on chairs “just about every month now.”

L.V. AndersonL.V. Anderson

L.V. Anderson is a Slate associate editor. 

Over the course of two updates, the plot thickened (sorry!). Awkwardstink left the co-worker, “Jennifer,” a note informing her that “there have been some complaints in the office about a lack of personal hygiene” and that she'd left a bag of pads and tampons in the bathroom for Jennifer’s personal use. Jennifer complained to their (male) boss, who “told her that the note was just about the nicest way to handle such a situation.” 

The following week, the two co-workers hashed it out in a heated conversation. Jennifer said that she had learned from her mom that it was OK to wear pads for more than a day at a time (!), and demanded that Awkwardstink personally supply her with pads and tampons for the foreseeable future. 

To get a full sense of the dysfunction of the poster’s office, you really have to read all three chapters of this epic (and perhaps ongoing) miniseries. It’s very possible that Jennifer is deeply troubled and that her colleagues are doing their best to handle a delicate situation. However, there are two important lessons we all can draw from the saga of Jennifer and the Bloodied Chairs.

First, every workplace should provide free tampons and pads as a benefit to its menstruating employees. It boggles my mind that Jennifer's boss didn’t take the initiative to order a slew of pads and tampons, put it outside the women’s restroom, and announce the supplies as a new company benefit. It wouldn't have solved whatever is going on with Jennifer, but if you’re a boss, it’s in your best interest to make it as easy as possible for women in your office to to manage their periods. Having sanitary products readily available makes it easier for women to focus on their work instead of worrying about whether they’re bleeding through the makeshift wad of toilet paper they’ve stuffed in their underwear, and it will make it less likely that they’ll bleed all over your furniture, Ani DiFranco–style.

The second lesson is social rather than policy-oriented, and it’s something that many women (and men!) understand intuitively. If you see someone bleeding through her clothes, the kindest thing to do is pull her aside, tell her what's going on, and offer to help her find feminine hygiene products to stanch the flow and a sweater to wrap around her waist to hide the evidence. In 99 percent of cases, the recipient of this information will be grateful for your intervention. Same goes for food on your face, food in your teeth, open zippers, and bad cases of button-down boob gap. Don't write a note. Don't conspire with others. Just go straight to the source. It's not that hard to have somebody's back.

 



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This reminds me of a coworker I had who stank so bad, the customers complained. Management didn't care one whit.

His problem was he lived with his mom and she didn't like hearing water running through the pipes so he couldn't shower.

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Gross. I'm disturbed by this. You should know by adulthood how to manage your period. Also, it is a company's responsibility to provide pads and tampons?

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What?

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WTF?? This cannot possibly be real.

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More than one day?

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Ok. Now employers should provide pads and tampons?

Good Lord.

Talk about needing to take personal responsibility.

Yes. Sometimes, there is an accident.

Adults know you handle your business. And you don't make fun of others when they need to handle theirs.

I've had to clean up an accident.

I don't know a woman who hasn't at some point.

Poor personal hygiene needs to be addressed by the employer.

I've had to do it. It isn't fun and it is usually embarrassing to both.

But come on. Nut up people.

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Ewwwwwwwwwwww. There are no words. And why does anyone have to buy another adult those things. Grow up and take care of it yourself.

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And if it's cultural to bleed all over then either learn our culture or culture yourself right back home.

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What were those things called? Diva cups that everyone on MM raved about?

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NAOW wrote:

Gross. I'm disturbed by this. You should know by adulthood how to manage your period. Also, it is a company's responsibility to provide pads and tampons?


Are there still dispensers in Women's restrooms? 



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I'm never surprised by what people should know but don't.

Like, when you have a job, you have to show up before starting time, actually WORK until quitting time, and leave AFTER quitting time instead of before.

 

 



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TrudyML wrote:

What were those things called? Diva cups that everyone on MM raved about?


 Diva cups are THE BEST.



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ed11563 wrote:

I'm never surprised by what people should know but don't.

Like, when you have a job, you have to show up before starting time, actually WORK until quitting time, and leave AFTER quitting time instead of before.

 

 


 Oh my gosh! 

I had an employee I nick named Lil Lurly.

Every shift he asked the same question, "I came in a little early, can I leave a little early?"

 

 



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NAOW wrote:

Gross. I'm disturbed by this. You should know by adulthood how to manage your period. Also, it is a company's responsibility to provide pads and tampons?


 That had to be sarcasm.  HAD TO BE.



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That is all kinds of nasty. I know accidents happens but not to take care of ones personal hygene is just gross.

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That is a serious hygiene problem and the workplace has to deal with it.

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Actually, Indy Public provided cheap pads & tampons for employees...I'm guessing it was in case a woman started early or forgot to bring hers.

flan



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flan327 wrote:

Actually, Indy Public provided cheap pads & tampons for employees...I'm guessing it was in case a woman started early or forgot to bring hers.

flan


 Not when it is happening all the time.



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Tell the offender if she wants to bleed out, run a marathon, take pictures, then put them up on the internet.

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Lawyerlady wrote:
flan327 wrote:

Actually, Indy Public provided cheap pads & tampons for employees...I'm guessing it was in case a woman started early or forgot to bring hers.

flan


 Not when it is happening all the time.


 I had actually worked there for several years before I found out. Considering the majority of library employees are female, it kind of made sense.

flan



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FNW wrote:

Tell the offender if she wants to bleed out, run a marathon, take pictures, then put them up on the internet.


HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!   



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I just can't imagine anyone NOT being mortified if it happened to them. Years ago, I underwent a procedure. The doctor did not cauterize it adequately after he was through, and a few days later, while at work, I began to "bleed out." I was horrified. I did manage to prevent any accidents thanks to a co-worker's stash.

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Apparently, Lily thinks the bosses would be justified in tazing her until she's dead.

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Yeah. That's exactly what I said.

(Insert eyeroll)

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Pretty much. "It needs to be dealt with".

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Look at you. Trying to be cute.

You want to call one a serious hygiene issue but the other is just a bodily fluid.

Aren't both bodily fluids? One an accident and one a deliberate assault.

But let's not confuse one with the other.

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lilyofcourse wrote:

Look at you. Trying to be cute.

You want to call one a serious hygiene issue but the other is just a bodily fluid.

Aren't both bodily fluids? One an accident and one a deliberate assault.

But let's not confuse one with the other.


 One is also being done by a schizophrenic already locked up in a jail cell and feeling terrified. 

And the first one is NOT an accident.  She KNOWS it is happening continuously and is not taking proper precautions to avoid it. 

But, certainly, they should kill her instead of say....fire her.  Just like they killed that other woman instead of say....sedating her.



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And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.

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Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

Look at you. Trying to be cute.

You want to call one a serious hygiene issue but the other is just a bodily fluid.

Aren't both bodily fluids? One an accident and one a deliberate assault.

But let's not confuse one with the other.


 One is also being done by a schizophrenic already locked up in a jail cell and feeling terrified. 

And the first one is NOT an accident.  She KNOWS it is happening continuously and is not taking proper precautions to avoid it. 

But, certainly, they should kill her instead of say....fire her.  Just like they killed that other woman instead of say....sedating her.


 The cell isn't a sealed box most of the time.

And so Flippin what is she is schizophrenic?

 



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Lawyerlady wrote:

And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.


 Yeah. I did. 

Your words contradict yourself.

One is a serious hygiene issue but the other is "just pee". 

Bodily fluids are just that. So both are serious hygiene issues.



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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:

And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.


 Yeah. I did. 

Your words contradict yourself.

One is a serious hygiene issue but the other is "just pee". 

Bodily fluids are just that. So both are serious hygiene issues.


 Yes, one is "just pee".  Grow up.

 

Although if one was throwing pee in the work place, they would be justified in firing her, I agree.



-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Wednesday 16th of September 2015 03:13:18 PM

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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

Look at you. Trying to be cute.

You want to call one a serious hygiene issue but the other is just a bodily fluid.

Aren't both bodily fluids? One an accident and one a deliberate assault.

But let's not confuse one with the other.


 One is also being done by a schizophrenic already locked up in a jail cell and feeling terrified. 

And the first one is NOT an accident.  She KNOWS it is happening continuously and is not taking proper precautions to avoid it. 

But, certainly, they should kill her instead of say....fire her.  Just like they killed that other woman instead of say....sedating her.


 The cell isn't a sealed box most of the time.

And so Flippin what is she is schizophrenic?

 


 What part of "custody and control" do you not understand? 



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ed11563 wrote:
NAOW wrote:

Gross. I'm disturbed by this. You should know by adulthood how to manage your period. Also, it is a company's responsibility to provide pads and tampons?


Are there still dispensers in Women's restrooms? 


 Yes, that you PAY for.



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I don't know how this woman made it out of middle/high school without being humiliated monthly. I also imagine she can't keep a man around longer than a month.

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She probably smells too.

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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

Look at you. Trying to be cute.

You want to call one a serious hygiene issue but the other is just a bodily fluid.

Aren't both bodily fluids? One an accident and one a deliberate assault.

But let's not confuse one with the other.


 One is also being done by a schizophrenic already locked up in a jail cell and feeling terrified. 

And the first one is NOT an accident.  She KNOWS it is happening continuously and is not taking proper precautions to avoid it. 

But, certainly, they should kill her instead of say....fire her.  Just like they killed that other woman instead of say....sedating her.


 The cell isn't a sealed box most of the time.

And so Flippin what is she is schizophrenic?

 


 OF, FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish you could spend 24 hours feeling what it's like to suffer from schizophrenia.

flan



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Really, someone is bleeding on furniture? Which means they are bleeding thru their clothes at work, etc?

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I'm sorry, but she's mentally ill. No one that's sane thinks its OK to bleed through your clothes...

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Ohfour wrote:

I'm sorry, but she's mentally ill. No one that's sane thinks its OK to bleed through your clothes...


 LOL!



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Lawyerlady wrote:

Apparently, Lily thinks the bosses would be justified in tazing her until she's dead.


LOL!!! 



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Ohfour wrote:

I'm sorry, but she's mentally ill. No one that's sane thinks its OK to bleed through your clothes...


Maybe she's not very bright, not educated in how the human female body works, 

or she just thinks it's God's will.

 

 



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Lexxy wrote:

I don't know how this woman made it out of middle/high school without being humiliated monthly. I also imagine she can't keep a man around longer than a month.


 Maybe home-schooled.

 



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Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:

And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.


 Yeah. I did. 

Your words contradict yourself.

One is a serious hygiene issue but the other is "just pee". 

Bodily fluids are just that. So both are serious hygiene issues.


 Yes, one is "just pee".  Grow up.

 

Although if one was throwing pee in the work place, they would be justified in firing her, I agree.



-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Wednesday 16th of September 2015 03:13:18 PM


 If someone entered your office throwing their pee, you wouldn't care if they were schizo or not. You would flip out, call the police and demand they remove them immediately.  You wouldn't give two shakes how.

 



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Urine is mostly sterile, it carries very little in way of bacteria or communicable diseases.
Blood is, well, BLOOD. Not sterile. Full of nasty pathogens.
And yes, I have worked places that bought cheap pads and tampons in bulk and stocked the restroom with them. It was great.

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Dona Worry Be Happy wrote:

Urine is mostly sterile, it carries very little in way of bacteria or communicable diseases.
Blood is, well, BLOOD. Not sterile. Full of nasty pathogens.
And yes, I have worked places that bought cheap pads and tampons in bulk and stocked the restroom with them. It was great.


THANK YOU, Dona!

flan 



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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:

And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.


 Yeah. I did. 

Your words contradict yourself.

One is a serious hygiene issue but the other is "just pee". 

Bodily fluids are just that. So both are serious hygiene issues.


 Yes, one is "just pee".  Grow up.

 

Although if one was throwing pee in the work place, they would be justified in firing her, I agree.



-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Wednesday 16th of September 2015 03:13:18 PM


 If someone entered your office throwing their pee, you wouldn't care if they were schizo or not. You would flip out, call the police and demand they remove them immediately.  You wouldn't give two shakes how.

 


 Again, you can speak ONLY for yourself.

I sure as sh1t would not let the big bad police continue to taze someone...but then OUR police are reasonable & well-trained.

flan



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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:

And let's not forget, LILY, that you posted my words from this thread over there. So who the hell was trying to be cute first?

Priceless.


 Yeah. I did. 

Your words contradict yourself.

One is a serious hygiene issue but the other is "just pee". 

Bodily fluids are just that. So both are serious hygiene issues.


 Yes, one is "just pee".  Grow up.

 

Although if one was throwing pee in the work place, they would be justified in firing her, I agree.



-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Wednesday 16th of September 2015 03:13:18 PM


 If someone entered your office throwing their pee, you wouldn't care if they were schizo or not. You would flip out, call the police and demand they remove them immediately.  You wouldn't give two shakes how.

 


 That is flat out NOT true.  Do not project your attitude on me.  And I sure as hell wouldn't expect them to taze them to death.



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I think everyone should be tazed. :)

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I wish I could taze a couple people

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