We have just hired what seems to be a good employee, however, he comes into very close contact to our customers, and has a strong body odor. How do we legally and sensitively deal with it.

My sister had the same problem with an employee of hers at the hospital. It was very tricky. You know sometimes body odor is not always directly related to lack of hygiene, it could be some type of "illness" . Anyway, all the subtle things she did didn't work, so I suggest you take the person aside and explain nicely the situation. But I feel no matter how nice you are , the person will most probably feel embarrassed and insulted :)

Silly things she tried:
She made someone come in and complain about the smell (it didn't work)
She also installed a scent dispenser which she would manually flush whenever the smell was unbearable, giving an indirect sign (it also didn't work)

So how did she finally resolve the matter you ask?
She didn't have to, because she was promoted lol

Just an idea you could try: you could have someone close to the person like a colleague or something explain the situation. It will be less embarrassing I think.

Tell us how you fixed the problem when you do:)

I know how I solved the problem. I mailed the guy a few bars of soap and didn't tell ANYBODY for 10 years. The fun part was that somebody else took the heat who used a more direct approach. However, this was much worse than body odor.

I have the same problem with a co-worker's body odor. I complained to my supervisor and he said there was nothing they can do about it because the employee could take it to Human Resources or Affirmative Action as harassment. It's no way for us clean hygiened employees to work when you want to gag through your work day.
I suggest you just spray your own pleasant smelling sprays when he/she comes near, like I do.

I know what you mean, there's a Janitor at my school that has a huge body odor smell. I daresay you will find this more helpful than anything I can provide, I searched around for you, and found this. Because I'm 13 and don't actually have experience with employees, I found this. http://altrexps.com/pdfs/Employee_Hygiene.pdf

I hope this helps you, it will take you right to it, so there's no looking around. Please rate my advice, I like to know how I do.

It is not harassment when approached correctly. When your supervisor tells you that, it gnenerally means the supervisor does not want to deal with the problem. If the employees who are offended by the smell/poor hygiene of the fellow co-worker, then they should present this concern to HR and request it be dealt with. It could be the person does not realize the problem and it could be that the person has some medical condition that lends to the problem. But to avoid the problem does no one any good.

Maybe just having a simple meeting with everyone and throwing a personal hygiene statement in there would help. Maybe that person would catch the hint... Ya know, just throw in the "if the shoe fits, wear it" statement.

I knew of a girl once who had a problem with body odor, so the kids in her class thought it was cute, and a real good joke to give her a big basket full of all kinds of products for bathing, hair, etc... I was not involved, but heard about the results...

That girl started crying and thanking everyone so much for their generosity. She told them how her father was suffering from a disability and the family had no income, and how she thought they were the most wonderful people...

Well, the girl never went dirty again, and the kids in that class learned a lesson.

Some people don't get the importance of good personal hygiene, unfortuneately, and they might never change if someone does approach them about it.

I remember a job I had, involving taking out trash at a grocery store with sour milk dripping from the bags... and working in hot summer months... well, I got approached by a manager about personal hygiene issues, and was kind of stunned about it... It wasn't me not bathing that was the reason, it was the work they had me doing...

I think a private annonymous message to human resources, asking them to bring the matter to the guys attention is fair. If it is medical, then the company needs to know, but if it isn't, the guy might be causing the company to lose cutomers through his unsanitary habits.

I taught with a morbidly obese woman who could gag you at times. She always showered, but if you are really big, there are important part of a woman that never get hit by the spray. Think about it.

My problem has gone beyond body odor to drippy butt prints on the back of the toilet seat (and they do not easily wipe off with sanitizer spray, either! Ewwww!! ). There are 3 people in the office, including me. *banging head on desk* I am already a little sensitive because I am almost 38 weeks pregnant, so gross & germy are NOT acceptable at the moment. And being that I need the bathroom a little more often, this is really getting on my nerves. I can't wait 'till maternity leave. I can't breathe any more Lysol or Oust & I am scared I am about to OD on Purell & GermX from sanitizing my hands, keyboard, mouse, & desk. I think I am a little "high" now from the Oust I just fumigated the bathroom with because I have to GO!! I am so disgusted, but what do I do?! UGH!!

I just realized after someone's last bathroom trip that the soap, sink, and paper towels were EXACTLY as I left them on my trip to the loo before one particular person went and spent some aweful "quality time" in there. UGH!! Hubby also made the comment that I have not been sick while I have been pregnant. I told him it's because of all of the sanitizers, cleaners, lining the toilet, and using my shirts & paper towels for some sort of breathing apparatus... I haven't touched ANYTHING that was not sanitized to the hilt! I don't know how much longer I can take this, much less if I want to come up here & expose my new LO to this nastiness. This is a health hazard!!