Walt Disney World Cast Member Let Go Over Air Freshener

Orlando news outlets are reporting that ex-Walt Disney World cast member, Nancy Copley was pushed out of her position after asking Disney to discontinue use of an air freshener in a bathroom that she regularly used.  The air freshener caused concerns for her as it triggered her asthma.  Copley requested that Disney remove or change the air freshener from a particular bathroom.  Disney responded to this request with a settlement rather than remove or change the air freshener.  They told her that the cost to remove the air freshener from the bathroom would be too great.  The tragic thing about this is that Copley has been with Disney for 19 years with only 1 year left until retirement with full Disney retirement benefits.  Per Disney, since the request was one of personal nature, they wouldn’t be required to comply.

The Americans Disabilities Act does cover chemical sensitivity, which seems to be issue encountered in this situation.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), unfortunately, doesn’t have any standards related to indoor air quality, so technically this means that OSHA can’t require Disney to change the air freshener.

News outlets have requested a statement from Disney, but they haven’t provided one as of yet.  This isn’t overly surprising since Disney typically avoided press releases and media responses to situations that bring them negative publicity.

What do you all think about this situation?  Do you think Disney is right or wrong in their decision?