Coworker with perfume 'allergy' refuses any solutions, singles out workers she perceives to have a strong smell: 'They have also offered her an isolated area to sit in and suggested to wear masks, but she wants to continue sitting in her favorite spot'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Oct 22, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

It's not easy to share a space with other people. It's one of the difficult things about working in an office. You not only have to collaborate and share tasks with them, but you also have to be present in a physical space together. And people famously have needs. And sometimes those needs differ from those around you. The TV show The Office is a perfect example of that. There is at least one conflict/ incident of hijinks/ disagreement between characters every episode, and they are rarely about their actual jobs. What they are about is all the politics surrounding life in an office. There is enough fodder about the interactions between coworkers in an office setting that they filled nine seasons with relatable material. 

So it's no wonder that clashes of personality arise regularly in real-world offices. And a big theme that arises is that of "allergies." I put those kinds of allergies in quotes to differentiate them from the very real medical allergies that many people do have. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about people who invent ailments to exert control over others. 

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  • 01
    A woman looks stressed out at her desk.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • This woman had complaints about how her coworkers smelled, and her managers listened. But even after everyone around her tried to accommodate her, it still wasn't enough. So it seemed like it was about something more. Read on to see what happened in this story and how commenters tried to handle it. 

  • 02

    When does allergies go too far?

    We have a lady at work who has been complaining about perfumes for several months now. Work has sent out several emails asking people to not wear perfume, but her complaints continue. They have also offered her an isolated area to sit in and suggested to wear masks, but she wants to continue sitting in her favorite spot and thinks she shouldn't be punished by being separated from
    via u/shrieks-and-creaks
  • 03
    everyone else (it's a call center with desks in rows, with a 1.5m gap between each person beside you, and a 1m gap with the person behind you) and also stated it wouldn't make a difference anyway since the perfume is in the air.
    via u/shrieks-and-creaks
  • 04
    Several people have been called into the office and sniffed at by our manager, and they have all stated the same thing; they're not wearing perfume. Two of whom I could vouch for as telling the truth. They don't use hair spray either. I understand scents can come from hair shampoo and washing detergents, but it seems this lady
    via u/shrieks-and-creaks
  • 05
    is not willing to take any personal accountability for her allergies and sits in the most popular area while expecting others to be completely scent free, when the people accused don't even know where the scent is coming from. It's at the point people are starting to feel bullied and are calling in sick to avoid the stress of being targeted.
    via u/shrieks-and-creaks
  • 06
    I've seen this sub is sympathetic to those with perfume allergies so I'm hoping for some advice from those who suffer with it to suggest a resolution to management that works for everyone. We're in Australia, so it would have to apply there.
    via u/shrieks-and-creaks
  • 07

    Commenters wondered if something more was going on here.

    Funny_Breadfruit_4... 4d ago . I think she just wants to control her coworkers. If she was offered a solution and refused to take it, then she's the problem. We have a similar situation going on at my job. When people complained about the offending party, the person sitting next to her was offered another seat. Others were given masked to wear.
    via u/Funny_Breadfruit_413
  • 08
    A woman suffers a headache at her desk.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09
    It solved the problem for the most part. but the person wearing the offensive perfume also started wearing a mask. Because of the mask, she now sprays more perfume during her lunch break and doesn't realize she's over spraying.
    via u/Funny_Breadfruit_413
  • 10
    Management also never told her she was the reason many people were wearing masks. So it's kinda funny that she now wears one because other people are.
    via u/Funny_Breadfruit_413
  • 11
    SlayyyGrl 4d ago . I don't see you mention that she has disclosed allergies or a medical condition... maybe she's hypersensitive? Honestly it sounds like she has been offered quite good accommodations by your workplace and people are abiding by them. It's not insignificant for the entire office to agree to participate in a "no perfume" request.
    via u/SlayyyGrl
  • 12
    On top of that she's rejected further accommodations. I can think of two options: 1 - offer her WFH full time. 2 - She can put in place a Workplace Adjustment. This is a formalisation of reasonable adjustments to support people with disabilities or are neurodivergent etc. BUT she
    via u/SlayyyGrl
  • 13
    would need to have a condition of some kind and she's unlikely to get much better than HEPA filters and her own specific part of the office to sit in. It would be wild to enforce a "no scents" at all situation... is everybody going to change
    via u/SlayyyGrl
  • 14
    their entire cleanse, beauty, and hair routine? Going to make sure their partners never wear cologne or perfume in case it gets on their clothes?
    via u/SlayyyGrlaks
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    Plastic_Doughnut _... 4d ago We used to have wall- mounted air fresheners that sprayed scent periodically. They had to go because of someone's asthma. I know work places are supposed to make reasonable adjustments but there's a
    via u/Plastic_Doughnut_911
  • 16
    limit. I have had people comment on my use of laundry detergent/fabric softener before...not negatively... but should I be expected to switch to fragrance-free if someone said it was a problem? What if I'd just spent money on some and had to spend more? Where does it end?
    via u/Plastic_Doughnut_911
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    I don't think there's much to be done if the person being affected can't be more specific.
    via u/Plastic_Doughnut_911
  • 18
    Disc... 4d ago • • 4d ago Edited 4d ago I wear lotions that are specifically designed (and that I have a prescription for) to treat my skin conditions (psoriasis and eczema). When I am at work and I wash my hands I use some of that lotion to reapply. It has a STRONG smell to it.
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 19
    I also use tea tree oil for the same purpose. I've had people ask me what that smell is before. I'm honest, and I've pulled the "you really don't want me not wearing it and then showing up in a short sleeve shirt during the summer. Also, don't ignore strep for three weeks before getting treatment or it blows up to guttae psoriasis. Trust me on this."
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 20
    It's possible she is reacting to normal smells. Or people who use laundry detergent like Tide or Gain. At this point, she's that lady in the department and you don't need to worry about it. If you have a lotion that you need to use during the day, try to make it unscented if possible.
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 21
    This woman's preferences for a lack of scent around her may be something else. Changes in health or life. stages or events (pregnancy, etc) can trigger scent sensitivity. Incidentally - this is not an allergic reaction. This is a preference. If that were true,
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 22
    this woman could not use deodorant or use a bathroom where there was anything used other than bleach. She could not wash her hands with anything but unscented soap. She could not handle sanitized office equipment. She might be sensitive to smells, but this is approaching "we will need to see a doctor's note for further accomodation".
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 23
    And then there's me, who would cheerfully use the soap I have that works on my skin and also smells almost exactly like I bathed in Nutella before coming to work, because that's MY medical necessity, and at some point maybe it's not someone else's job to bend over backwards for them.
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 24
    (I'd just go malicious, too. Currywurst for lunch. Extra fragrant chapstick. Personal workstation cleaner with a nice piney scent. Granted, I'm also kind of an asshole.)
    via u/DiscoChiligonBall
  • 25
    Jean19812. 4d ago She should put a good HEPA filter in her area / cubicle that would keep her immediate area clear.. But the situation sounds a little more complicated. There could be a passive aggressive/controlling component..
    via u/Jean19812
  • 26
    Aromatic_Quit_69464d ago So not wearing perfumes is a voluntary agreement by her coworkers. Legally, once she has been given an option and refused her complaints are no longer valid, nor do they need to be recognized. I suggest everyone wear all the perfumes, colognes, and scents they want.
    via u/Aromatic_Quit_6946
  • 27
    1. An allergy is a medically diagnosed condition, not a preference against something. 2. A Reasonable Accommodation (for a non-medical) condition has been offered. She is just being a bitch.
    via u/Aromatic_Quit_6946
  • 28
    OptimalReactions 4d ago Every workplace has one. Just be thankful she hasn't managed to rope people onto her side out of fear, that's what usually happens, and then you've got a huge problem.
    via u/OptimalReactions
  • 29
    Unfortunately management are usually pretty useless. against this sort of person, but they will eventually tire of her shit, and they'll cherry- pick reasons to fire her. Could be years down the line though.
    via u/OptimalReactions
  • 30
    Nixthebitx 4d ago This falls under that area of Reasonable Accomodation of which the employer is equally held to. If the employer is going to enforce it for the employees, they need to apply it to their practices as well.
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 31
    That means switch to unscented cleaning supplies and hand soaps in restrooms and break rooms to minimize triggers for this employee who could very well be accusing other employees of scents when they're simply smelling bathroom soaps or cleaning deodorizers used by cleaning crews.
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 32
    The employer would also need to install high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters or other air purification systems in the sensitive employee's work area. And if accommodating this one employee is going to be made such an ordeal, then a formal policy requesting that
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 33
    all employees refrain from wearing scented products like perfumes, colognes, and strongly scented lotions or body washes would need to be put into effect - not a vague request, because the employee making the complaint and those suffering the inquisition should have parameters for the entire
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 34
    situation as both expectations and protections from backlash here. This can also include prohibiting scented candles or air fresheners in the office. And this is a touchy subject because if that's the case, who is going to compensate these employees for the
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 35
    money they're going to spend at home for unscented products to replace the ones they already have and use but now have to stop using just to accommodate the M-F workweek because of one employee?? The employee has been given reasonable accommodation and they arent taking it. They
    via u/Nixthebitx
  • 36
    have to do their part too, like being proactive to see if their doctor can prescribe a preventative medical treatment for them to reduce reaction to external stimuli causing flare-ups. This is called adulting - and that employee is just being entitled.
    via u/Nixthebitx

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