My Work Place Doesn't Understand

[Padams]

I work at Wild Oats. A natural marketplace with a large gluten free selection. My doctor told me that I should be wearing gloves, and possibly a mask -- while working -- to protect myself from airborne gluten. I told my manager what my doctor had said and she just smirked. The smirk said it all, "You're lying." I tried to cashier with the gloves on -- nearly impossible .. and having a mask on scares the customers. I asked if I could possibly be moved to an area where I could tutor customers on celiac disease and gluten free life. They said no. I think I am going to quit.
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Patrick
06/14/05
I love Danna Korn

[paw]

I don't know if they have any jobs in a store like that where you would not be around all the gluten and wheat. If they have a bulk food section with wheat products being scooped all the time, there would be contamination on the plastic bags they put the products into that you have to handle at the cashier. Even gloves and a mask would not eliminate the risk, only cut it down.

I am sorry they are not being more understanding about this though. I hope you can find a job with no food being sold so you are safer.

[skbird]

That's pretty bad, when a HEALTH food store doesn't seem to respect your need for health.

If they are resistant to education themselves and others, then I'd say you probably should find another job. I am surprised to hear how lacking in the compassion department they are.

Sorry!
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Stephanie

[biodiesel]

Two thoughts... first off Wild Oats is one of the WORST places re: diet allergies.
I've been to several and asked about GF. They handed me a list of maybe 20 items. When i asked about ingredient lists for deli items (which weren't posted) they refused to tell me "for liability reasons."
One manager said the only things in the store that were GF were the things on the list which is of course wrong... there's a whole bunch of specifically GF products not on the list, the whole produce department... all the bottled water...

Second... BREATHING IN A GLUTENED ENVORONMENT WILL NOT HURT YOU AND YOU CAN"T GET GLUTENED OFF A DOOR KNOB.

You do have to injest wheat gluten and get a protien or peptide to the small intestine. There will surely be arguments about this but the reality is that it's a food intolerance/ allergy. If it was a contact allergy then your hands would blister to touch wheat, you'd go into respiratory distress (pulmonary edema or laryngeal edema) due to slight inhalation and couldn't drive anywhere near wheat fields and most of the Celiac's in the breadbasket states would have to move to Arizona every harvest.
Given there are some peanut allergic people who have reactions (like the above reactions) to surface contact but the majority of peanut allergic people work and live near peanuts. And peanut oil is different that wheat. If that wern't the case i coulnd't ever shop in Wild Oats since i'm a Celiac, the Peanut allergic people wouldn't be able to come near your store (since you sell peanuts...) The only allergy that acts like that is the rarest of latex allergies.

I seriously wouldn't worry about it at the register. On the other hand, even if you're not allergic if the staff is getting facefuls of any powder while filling the bulk section wearing a mask would be a good idea, (and is probably mandated by OSHA.) Cause inhaling gluten free muffin mix aint exactly healthy either...

[aklap]