Susan McBride, a civil servant in Detroit, won a $100,000 settlement from the city after officials failed to accommodate her allergy to perfume. McBride complained to superiors about a coworker’s perfume, claiming the smell made it difficult for her to breath. When managers did nothing to address the situation, McBride sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act and won.
In addition to paying the hundred grand, the city, as part of the settlement, will post signs asking employees to refrain from wearing “scented products, including but not limited to colognes, after-shave lotions, perfumes, deodorants, body/face lotions, hair sprays or similar products.”
In 2005, Detroit was the site for a private lawsuit between a DJ, Erin Weber, and a local radio station involving perfume. As in the McBride case, Weber complained about a coworker’s perfume, got no relief, then sued and won—a $10.6 million verdict. The award was later knocked down to $814,000.
-Noel Brinkerhoff