Check out some similar questions!

Queen8C · Mar 12, 2014, 12:58 PM

An employee showed up to work saying they have ringworm on their butt and they think they must have gotten it from a toilet seat in the office. This is highly unlikely but what is HR's responsibility as far as should they put out a notice that someone has ringworm in the office and educate people on how to stay clean, etc or to keep that person who has it from coming into the office until it is gone?

tickle · Mar 12, 2014, 01:10 PM

It is very likely that it was contracted off a toilet seat, that is one of the main offenders in washrooms that are used by office workers, or public toilets. This is one reason you should never sit on a strange toilet.

HR should notify this person to have the ringworm taken care of before coming back to the office, and although they can be diligent in cleaning their washrooms, they cannot stop the spread of diseases in their washrooms unless they provide toilet seat covers. One should never sit down on a toilet seat in a washroom used by strangers.

Queen8C · Mar 12, 2014, 01:21 PM

Thank you, we have made sure there are toilet seat covers. Should we alert the staff of this or just make sure that person doesn't come back till its taken care of?

tickle · Mar 12, 2014, 02:43 PM

You should do both but be very careful how you alert everyone. Alert everyone but be very personal, I mean don't blast it out, and make sure the person afflicted is rid of the ringworm before coming back.

Queen8C · Mar 12, 2014, 02:46 PM

OK, thanks so much for your help.

Alty · Mar 12, 2014, 03:54 PM

Another thing I have to add to what's already been said. There's no way to prove that the employee contracted ringworm from work. There are no tests that can prove that this employee was infected at work. It could have been from any toilet seat they've sat on, including at home.

Having said that. Now that you do have an employee with a confirmed case of ringworm, that employee is a risk to others in the office. Any other employee that does contract ringworms could legitimately say that it's likely they got it at work.

This employee is infectious, and cannot be permitted to return to work until they are free of this infection.

Fr_Chuck · Mar 12, 2014, 03:57 PM

They have no obligation what so ever. Unless there is some policy. No there would be no case, that I could see any public announcement. At the most, they may ask the head of maintenance to review sanitary cleaning instructions with the cleaning staff. But no reference to any specific event.

Queen8C · Mar 12, 2014, 04:00 PM

Agreed and thank you! :)

dontknownuthin · Mar 12, 2014, 04:39 PM

Ring worm is an easily transmitted fungus. It is not a worm. It is transmitted by contact either with a person or pet who has it, or with a shared object of any kind whether a phone, hairbrush or whatever. Your employee cannot be confident he or she contracted it from a toilet seat a all, much mess from the office toilet. It could be from countless people or places or animals - equipment at the gym, railings on the train, the bed for a message, a comb at the barber, or whatever.

I don't see that it is your responsibility except perhaps to get advice on preventing transmission to the degree possible and reasonable in the office .

Queen8C · Mar 13, 2014, 10:58 AM

Thanks! Yes, I did some research on the internet to find that this would be quite easy to pick up from a number of places. Since this person got it on their butt cheek, they were convinced it must be the toilet seat at work since they claim they don't use any other public bathroom. They are not trying to build any type of case against us, they just wanted us to be aware so that other employees could be informed and precautions could be taken. I'm very thrilled a the willingness for people to respond and help with advice on this issue. Love this website! Thanks again! :)