The Social Security Administration in the US has admitted it issued an official reprimand to an employee after months of flatulence problems, but said it has since retracted the rebuke.

The reprimand letter, which runs to four pages and is dated December 10, charged the 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A Social Security Administration spokesman said the reprimand was rescinded a week after it was issued "when senior management became aware" of it.