DISABILITY for ODOR

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:29 pm

Hey there Folks .
It seems we are having a hard time getting chronic odor recognized for disability . I feel this may be partly due to our subjectivity . For this reason I was thinking it is important to get the opinion of employers and businesses about odor .

What do employers think about hiring someone who has severe odor due to hygiene ?

Then how do they feel about someone with severe odor due to a medical issue ?

How about businesses ? There are lots of places touting "odor free" signs. Airlines ,Buses, trains, stores, all the places we may dread. What is the consensus for how they treat people with strong odor ?

We can say all day how its horrible the way we are treated . How its hard to get jobs, the anxiety ,etc.. . Because its coming from the sufferer ,maybe its swept under the rug . My suggestion is to inadvertently have the other side speak for us instead.

If we get a long list of employers saying they would consider not hiring someone with chronic strong odor ,this could be an ace in the hole for us .At the same time ,we can build a list of employers who may not have an issue with odorous workers. Maybe they can accommodate us .

What questions would you ask in a brief questionnaire to employers / businesses ?? Let get the ball rolling

Please contact me [email protected]
Thank you folks

Skunkhugs support group on Skype

mike987 · Post by **mike987** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:32 am

It's not impossible, but it's extremely uncomfortable, for me, or the people I'm interacting with.

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:37 am

mike987 wrote:It's not impossible, but it's extremely uncomfortable, for me, or the people I'm interacting with.

Thank you for you vote and input Mike .
Any question or questions you might ask employers or businesses ?

mike987 · Post by **mike987** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:01 am

I don't have any questions. I already know it's extremely taboo and 99% of the population doesn't understand.

I'm living and I get by, but not like other people. I don't have intimate friends, I can't have heart to heart conversations or any kind of conversation face to face with any individual. The speaking I do with people is casual and across the room.

It's so stressful, a cause for constant insult, and is dehumanizing.

I don't want anything but to get rid of the condition.

Putting employers on the spot about it is just going to make them uncomfortable bullshitters. It's something they would prefer didn't exist, like the rest of all humans on this planet would. I would feel embarrassed to bring it up, knowing how disgusting it is, and knowing their reaction.

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:12 am

mike987 wrote:I don't have any questions. I already know it's extremely taboo and 99% of the population doesn't understand.
....
Putting employers on the spot about it is just going to make them uncomfortable bullshitters. It's something they would prefer didn't exist, like the rest of all humans on this planet would. I would feel embarrassed to bring it up, knowing how disgusting it is, and knowing their reaction.

Sorry if I was unclear. You wouldn't have to ask in person Mike. I plan on a email survey to places of business to ask about odor in the work place. Asking for their policies and hopefully personal opinion as well .

Again , If they say they have no problems with strong odor , maybe these are places for members to apply for work. yes ?

Skunkhugs support group on Skype

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:26 pm

Mike . Do you visit any Japanese sites for bb ? Any support groups or forums you know of ? Laws are different there of course but I wonder if there is a traditional understanding of chronic odor like there is for Hikikomori for instance .

skunkhugs on skype

Tibya · Post by **Tibya** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:42 pm

deebo wrote:Hey there Folks .
It seems we are having a hard time getting chronic odor recognized for disability . I feel this may be partly due to our subjectivity . For this reason I was thinking it is important to get the opinion of employers and businesses about odor .

Let get the ball rolling

1) How about work-from-home possibilities for bb sufferers? While filling their job application, they can have a section /field - for eg. Do you have any medical condition like heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, chronic bad breath/halitosis due to unknown medical conditions? If Yes, please attach your doctors statement to help us make appropriate work-from-home or out-of-work place arrangement for you.

Even a disclaimer like " we are equal opportunity employers and we do not discriminate against sex, race, religion, orientation, halitosis sufferers due to unexplained medical condition....."

They may also state that such employees are responsible for using their phone and be present on phone for all meetings etc. etc.

I see no reason why bb sufferers cannot work out-of-office. You can practically do pretty much everything that is needed in today's world from not being physically present at the work place. People have global meetings and make business decision by not knowing who is on the other side of the globe.

Susie · Post by **Susie** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:10 pm

I plan on a email survey to places of business to ask about odor in the work place. Asking for their policies and hopefully personal opinion as well .

This is such a good idea Deebo......are you still working on it? I would be curious what a dentist office would think of smelly people. Let me know if you need any help on this I would be interested in helping.

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:20 am

Tibya wrote:

1) How about work-from-home possibilities for bb sufferers? While filling their job application, they can have a section /field - for eg. Do you have any medical condition like heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, chronic bad breath/halitosis due to unknown medical conditions? If Yes, please attach your doctors statement to help us make appropriate work-from-home or out-of-work place arrangement for you.

Even a disclaimer like " we are equal opportunity employers and we do not discriminate against sex, race, religion, orientation, halitosis sufferers due to unexplained medical condition....."

They may also state that such employees are responsible for using their phone and be present on phone for all meetings etc. etc.

I see no reason why bb sufferers cannot work out-of-office. You can practically do pretty much everything that is needed in today's world from not being physically present at the work place. People have global meetings and make business decision by not knowing who is on the other side of the globe.

all good ideas tibya . Severe chronic halitosis would fall under an chronic malodor i would think , like tmau and other issues .

Right now ,odor itself is not a disability . But when(if) it is ,an employer could be required to make suitable accommodations for an employee like you state tibya . http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... mmA#t=193s

There are more and more avenues for working at home everyday ,
http://www.bloodbornebodyodorandhalitos ... omeworking
they arent perfect yet those for all chronic sufferers .Many require degrees or skills that may be hard to come by for us. Many without Medical coverage , and lower pay scales , but things are getting better in the field of home-at-home jobs .

skunkhugs on skype

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:02 am

Susie wrote:I plan on a email survey to places of business to ask about odor in the work place. Asking for their policies and hopefully personal opinion as well .

This is such a good idea Deebo......are you still working on it? I would be curious what a dentist office would think of smelly people. Let me know if you need any help on this I would be interested in helping.

Hello Susie .
Again, my apologies for the late reply , I somehow scrolled to quickly to the bottom on to tibya's post .

Maybe it would be more beneficial to kind of catch survey takers off guard , and not really let them know our angle and reason for the survey . It may help to get less biased answers . I'd almost like to play devils advocate to solicit employers disdain for odor sufferers .

Or we could send out 2 or more sets of question . One devils advocate type and 1 asking questions that can bolster understanding for our conditions .

What are your thought Susie ? I'd really like to have your help and input with this .

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deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:19 pm

Please write or call
Commissioner Michael J Astrue of
Social Security Administration
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Send email to all four to ensure they have an opportunity to receive your emails. Too often we are told "...we have NOT received your e-mail(s)..."

(you can copy and paste or write your own version)

Persons who suffer from Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) experience a great deal of difficulty finding employment because of the odor this rare disorder creates. This makes it very difficult to properly provide for ourselves and our families, and produces a great deal of emotional distress resulting in serious mental health issues.

One of our TMAU community's active leader, Dr. Cheryl Fields' inability to schedule an interview or to be hired with the SSA office is a major concern for others who have TMAU who may also want to work in the Federal Government or with the Social Security Administration (SSA). We are all cognizant of how TMAU is a major obstacle in securing employment, especially in the very slow economy in which we currently live, wherein hundreds of unemployed apply for the same position. We will always be skipped over and someone who does not have body odor will get the job, no matter how qualified we may be. And worst of all, TMAU has not even been listed as a disability by SSA, leaving sufferers and their families with virtually no recourse!
________________________________________________________

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deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:22 pm

deebo wrote:Please write or call
Commissioner Michael J Astrue of
Social Security Administration
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Send email to all four to ensure they have an opportunity to receive your emails. Too often we are told "...we have NOT received your e-mail(s)..."

(you can copy and paste or write your own version)

Persons who suffer from Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) and similar undiagnosable breath and body malodor issues experience a great deal of difficulty finding employment because of the odor this rare disorder creates. This makes it very difficult to properly provide for ourselves and our families, and produces a great deal of emotional distress resulting in serious mental health issues.

One of our TMAU community's active leader, Dr. Cheryl Fields' inability to schedule an interview or to be hired with the SSA office is a major concern for others who have TMAU who may also want to work in the Federal Government or with the Social Security Administration (SSA). We are all cognizant of how TMAU is a major obstacle in securing employment, especially in the very slow economy in which we currently live, wherein hundreds of unemployed apply for the same position. We will always be skipped over and someone who does not have body odor will get the job, no matter how qualified we may be. And worst of all, TMAU has not even been listed as a disability by SSA, leaving sufferers and their families with virtually no recourse!
________________________________________________________

Skunkhugs chat group on skype

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 7:25 pm

Please vote above people =)

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:57 pm

Hi Susie .
1 thing I was thinking was to email the job openings in our areas on Craigslist and other hiring and business sites.
Its the average of numbers I guess. Maybe we will get 10% replies ? Some other member might be interested in joining in too .

We could set up a new email address where we all know the password to send email from and get replies . There are a few people on my skype group around the globe who are interested too . We should note the Employer or business if we get a reply .

Our resulting replies can be brought together and sent to pertinent State and Gov departments and others . Just an idea at this point Susie .

Please vote above guys =)
skunkhugs on skype , 'Jo Hanson' on FaceBook

neverbethesame · Post by **neverbethesame** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:49 am

hi, i've been having bb for years now..my mum expects me to have a job but i just cant im too ashamed..they think im just lazy and all..sucks..

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