Q&A with The Workplace Advisors – July 2026

Strong fragrances and other odors can disrupt shared workplaces and lead to employee complaints, leaving managers with a sensitive issue to address. In this month’s Q&A, The Workplace Advisors explain how personal appearance policies can address fragrance and hygiene, how to approach these conversations privately and when employers may need to consider a reasonable accommodation.

Question: We have an employee who wears way too much fragrance. We have received numerous complaints from other employees, especially those who work in the same area, that the aroma is overwhelming. What can we do?

Answer: While most personal appearance policies focus on clothing, they should also cover other aspects such as hygiene (“good” and “bad” odors), grooming, jewelry, tattoos and anything else that may be important to the job, especially for reasons such as safety and interaction with others. Enforcing these policies, however, usually involves an uncomfortable conversation with the employee in question and firm reminders to others not to gossip about, target or retaliate against the employee.

In this case, you — or, preferably, someone of the same gender — will need to have a sensitive conversation with the employee. Pull them into a private space, gently explain that their fragrance is overwhelming in the enclosed area and suggest that they use less or switch to a different form, such as lotion instead of perfume. If the odor is biological, such as body odor, you still need to have the conversation but could suggest showering before coming to work or using cleansing wipes during the day.

Some deviations from a personal appearance standard may be protected, such as an odor related to a medical condition, a hairstyle that protects certain hair types, a head covering with religious significance or a tattoo with cultural significance. In these cases, follow your reasonable accommodation process and have an interactive dialogue with the employee to determine which exceptions can be made and whether any cannot be permitted because of considerations such as safety.