My Crazy Boss Just Gave Me a Warning Because, According to Him, I Smell Bad at Work!
I was given an official warning that my job could be in jeopardy because of claims that there is a terrible bad smell!
I have to put up with 2 more months at this company so I can be eligible to receive my pension. If I leave the job before then, my pension will be reduced by about 45%, or maybe more.
This time, my boss called me into his office and gave me a formal written warning saying that I have bad body odor and terrible breath. He said that several employees had come to him and complained that they can barely sit next to me or be in the same room with me. The Regional HR Manager was there too, and then he started giving me an embarrassing speech about basic hygiene.
I told both of them that my hygiene, health, and appearance are very important to me. I take a shower every day, use good soap and deodorant, brush my teeth 3 times a day, use mouthwash, and keep my clothes clean with a well-known detergent in a relatively new washer and dryer. I also don't wear my work clothes again between washes. They basically smirked and said they weren't convinced.
After that, I asked people I trust, both at work and outside of work, whether I had bad breath or body odor. Every single one of them said no, not at all.
My lawyer says the next step is for me to request a formal workplace investigation, with a neutral outside person interviewing employees to find out whether there is any truth behind these smell accusations. They also need to look into the hostile workplace situation, because my boss is constantly yelling at me, and now it's clear that he's inventing reasons to push me out. The whole thing just keeps getting worse.