DEAR ABBY: One of my co-workers takes company research presentation books into the restroom with him multiple times a day and spends upwards of half an hour in there with them. The unsanitary implications of this drive me batty.
I am not germophobic, but taking shared materials into the bathroom while you're doing your business is just too much for me. It's not like he's taking in a newspaper that can be tossed out; these are research materials that we must all share!
My co-worker told me I need to "get over it," that this is a "me" issue. Am I crazy or is taking shared workplace materials into the bathroom gross and inappropriate? -- WAITING FOR E. COLI TO KILL ME
DEAR WAITING: You are asking the wrong person this question. You should be asking the head of human resources or your boss.
I'm no germophobe either, but I agree that what your co-worker is doing is extremely inappropriate. You should not have to sanitize your hands after touching anything your co-worker might have touched, but that's what I'm suggesting you do.