OK, I read the stuff at the bottom of each page. Can you please explain what I did wrong (or said something wrong) in your opinion? Please be specific because I need stuff explained to me, and prefer to not play guessing games.
The OP said "... she is the only other office worker. The others are in the field" so I am pretty sure it would be in private.
Some of the members of this forum are lawyers but the majority of members are not lawyers or in law school or have any desire to be lawyers or attend law school.
I would find that insulting and not at all funny.
I said lawyers (I agree not many) or would-be lawyers. Yes, I know very few (if any) on this forum are attorneys actively practicing law. By "would-be lawyers" I meant we want give legal help as amateurs without having to go to law school and pass the bar. I didn't mean that we intend to go to law schools and pass the bar. Of course it is illegal to practice law without a license, so that is a delicate subject, and I know a bunch of lawyers and if they had their way they would lock us all up jail for practicing law without a license.
I wouldn't find that insulting. For one thing, asking a question is always less threatening or insulting. She may have some reason why she is not taking a shower very often, and that would provide an opportunity for her to explain it.
I'm certainly not the expert about these things which is why I asked about this in the first place, but I feel like that "joke" is or is at least on the verge of workplace bullying. So I'm definitely not going to do anything like that.
I guess it depends on what kind of relationship you have with your employee. In most places I have worked, close friends make jokes like that to each other all the time, and no one every took it as bullying, but I don't live in the People's Republic of California. Maybe the word "joke" was not correct, but I don't see what is wrong with asking her why she is not taking a shower very often anymore. I would really like to hear what you end up saying to her as your opening line. My feeling is that if you start out the conversation too serious, she might feel threatened and get very defensive and freak out.
No.
When did I say anyone advised that the employee should be fired?. The legal question was whether the employee can sue the employer "if" they did get fired. So I am pretty sure that the employer is "considering" letting her go as a possibility, which explains why they posted this question on a legal forum.
I am friendly with my employees, but I am not their friend.
