Even the Reception Area Was Chilly

Question

The office I work in is cold--not because it needs to be, but because the heat does not reach it. Are there state or federal guidelines controlling the temperature range in an office? How cold does it need to be before I can legally force my employer to do something?

Answer 1

All employers are legally bound to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Unfortunately, that is a nebulous standard indeed. Even more unfortunately, it may be difficult to prove that the chilly office air actually presents a health hazard. You will more likely be able to do this if a number of employees have suffered illnesses logically caused by working in a cold, drafty place. Your best bet may be to try to solve the problem informally. Get a thermometer and record the office temp for a week or so. Then band together with other workers who, like you, feel the place is too darn cold. You and the other workers affected should then request a meeting with your employer. Show him or her the evidence--the recorded temperatures--and explain that you all want to do the best job possible, but you can't given the prevailing low temp. Make tangible suggestions about how the place could be altered to eliminate icy blasts. Perhaps space heaters would be an option.