Food Allergies in the Workplace
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In America, it’s ingrained in company culture to share meals. We often meet clients to talk over drinks and dinner, take advantage of the complimentary work conference lunch, or we celebrate a new baby by sharing dessert. Unfortunately, due to food sensitivities, what may start as a harmless attempt to boost morale and cultivate business relationships might have life-threatening consequences.
Prevalence of Food Allergies
About 10 percent of the U.S. population suffers from some form of food allergy. These allergies can cause extremely uncomfortable symptoms at best and be deadly at worst. Some allergies are so extreme that they can be triggered just by airborne exposure and, in severe cases, lead to anaphylactic shock. The anticipation of dining at a company-sponsored lunch can add anxiety for people with food allergies since they may not know if they need to bring their own food from home or if the restaurant serves any foods that could trigger an allergic reaction. How can employers and employees work together to make your workplace safe for those who have food allergies?
Talk to your supervisor
It is advisable to inform your new employer of your severe allergy as soon as possible. You are obligated to notify them and have a legal right to reasonable accommodations. Be sure that there is a system in place to ensure that those at your workplace are aware of where medication (such as an EpiPen or epinephrine auto-injector) is kept and how to administer it to you in the case of an emergency.