Social Security struggles with flatulent employee

Keep your gas to yourself if you work for the federal government.

One particularly flatulent Social Security employee got hit last month with an official reprimand -- which was later retracted -- saying that passing gas was "conduct unbecoming a federal employee."

The letter, which was posted by the Smoking Gun, is probably one of the most uncomfortable reprimands ever written. It describes how the unnamed employee "disrupted the work floor by passing gas and releasing an unpleasant odor." The gas was so stinky, according to the Dec. 10 letter, that co-workers complained and apparently refused to work with the offender.

The reprimand is quite extraordinary, especially because it lists the specific dates and times of some 60 gas issuances. Yes, someone actually kept a record, and it looks like that person probably did little else but angrily scrawl additions to that list on days like Sept. 19, 2012, when gas was noticed at 2:42 p.m., 2:52 p.m. and 2:54 p.m.

The reprimand has turned the blogosphere into the gigglesphere this week, causing Social Security to quickly note that the administrative action has been withdrawn. "When senior management became aware of the reprimand it was immediately rescinded," agency spokeswoman Dorothy J. Clark said in an e-mail to The Washington Post.

The employee, reportedly a 38-year-old man, showed bosses evidence that he had medical conditions, according to the memo.

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