ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A woman told Channel 9's Angela Jacobs that an air freshener has forced her out of her longtime job at Disney.
Copley held the job at Disney for 19 years, but said she recently had to quit.
Independent studies have said fragrances can be harmful to people, so they shouldn’t be allowed in workplaces.
“I loved my job. I loved telling people about Disney,” Jacobs said. “I had one more year 'til I turned 55 and then I was going to retire, and I lost everything.”
Copley said Disney told her to resign and receive a settlement or get nothing.
She said the situation stems from her request that an air freshener triggering her asthma be removed from a bathroom.
“They said it would cost them too much money to take an air freshener out of a bathroom,” Copley said. “It was either do the settlement or lose my job and not get anything.”
Copley said because her restriction to the fragrance was considered “personal,” the park did not have to comply and asked her to leave.
Copley said she hopes education might spare others what she's been through.
“I lost my job over an air freshener. To me, that's wrong,” Copley said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has no national indoor air quality standard. So until that changes, workplaces can really do as they like.
Disney did not respond to our requests for comment.
Cox Media Group
