Gov. agency reprimands flatulent worker

A federal government agency did more than wrinkle its nose at an employee's flatulence problem. The Social Security Administration issued an official reprimand to the employee after months of foul odors, but the agency says it has since retracted the rebuke.

 

   The reprimand letter, which runs four pages and is dated Dec. 10, charges the Social Security Administration employee with "conduct unbecoming a federal employee" and "creating a hostile work environment" because of the repeated gas passing.

 

   The letter was originally posted on The Smoking Gun website with names blacked out. A Social Security Administration spokesman said Friday in two-sentence e-mail that the reprimand was rescinded a week after it was issued "when senior management became aware" of it. The spokesman said the agency could not comment further.