piercings and work discrimination
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Category: Body Mods
Forum Name: Piercings
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URL: http://www.bodymod.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14492
Printed Date: June/18/2013 at 10:33pm
Topic: piercings and work discrimination
Posted By: kyria430
Subject: piercings and work discrimination
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 2:22pm
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OK, so this is my first forum post and I have a doozy. I work for a company with a very conservative owner. I hired a young man with 1" lobes and what appears to be 0 or 00 plugs in both nostrils. When I hired this gentleman, I asked myself if I would trust him in the store with the cash if it were mine. I was able to answer yes so I gave him a job. When he interviewed with me I told him that the owner has a clause in the employee handbook stating no facial piercings and he agreed to only wear his flesh colored plugs. I guess he forgot this and came to work today with silver plugs in his nostrils. The area supervisor for the store blew up! She was nasty to him (always has been) and made him go home, losing a days pay.
My question to you all is have you ever encountered workplace discrimination because of your mods, and if so how do you handle it? I really like this kid and trust him more than some of the workers without mods, but I am being overruled. The area supervisor is clearly closed minded and will find any reason she can to fire him.
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Replies:
Posted By: Terri-Sian
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 2:47pm
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its difficult as your work already states that they do not want employees with facial piercings. you made this clear, he didnt follow company rules, he got sent home.
i dont really see this as discrimination.
if someone owns a business they have an idea of how they want it to appear to the clientelle.
now if someone is hired and is allowed their mods and then a couple of months down the line are asked to take them out or are asked to leave due to them then that is discrimination.
unfortunatly mods are always going to be a grey area regarding jobs.
when you are a modded person you have to make a choice.
either comply with the rules or find a job that allows the mods you desire.
------------- "I am selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I'm out of control and at times hard to handle... But if you can't handle me at my worst, you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best!" - Marilyn Monroe |
Posted By: Goat_Feet
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 2:49pm
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Unfortunately, there's not much you can do. If the owner has a policy against visible piercings then they have a policy against visible piercings. I've never had a problem in my past job (customer service associate) with my facial piercings but a lot of places do have policies against them. Personally, I wouldn't take a job that would make me remove/hide my visible modifications but thats just me. This guy you hired unfortunately has to deal with the decision he's made to become visibly modified. It's not fair by any means but becoming visibly modified is a big step and you have to be ready to deal with the repercussions (especially in the workplace). ------------- |
Posted By: kyria430
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 2:52pm
| I really think this particular area supervisor has a problem with him only because of his mods. I feel horrible for putting him in such a hostile environment. I didn't realize how close minded she would be, regardless of his outgoing personality. Which is exactly what we want in our stores. |
Posted By: Jeeennnnniiiii
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 3:04pm
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outgoing personality or not, he shows some attributes of arrogance if he thinks he can turn up to work wearing jewellery when he's told he's not allowed.
and that is someone i wouldn't want working for me. ------------- well i might have somethin' to say about that, space man! |
Posted By: Mike2008
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 3:13pm
| sorry...but rules are rules..and agreements are agreements...not following up always has consequences...if it is about mods or otherthings....work as MD...regulary have these kinds of discussion...he is breaking this rule so why do you think he accepts others? |
Posted By: Goat_Feet
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 3:40pm
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It's not a fun situation for anyone to be flamed at work because of their mods but it was his choice to show up with jewelry in there. You supervisor is just following policy. No matter how much it might suck thats how it goes sometimes with work. Again, visible mods have consequences that you have to be ready for. It's a lot different if you've been in a position for a while and you get mods than if you're hired and already have them. A classic example is my last job. I worked there for 4 years in high school. When I started I had one or two piercings in each ear and that was it. By the time I last left for school I had about 15 piercings and because I'd been there so long and always had great customer service ratings they never gave me any problems. When my girlfriend applied over the winter, they told her she needed to make her mods less visible because of the "conservative clientele" and she only had a septum and maybe an eyebrow piercing (plus ears obviously) at the time. Just goes to show you that employers can really suck with that kind of stuff but if you're going to be modded thats how it goes unfortunately. ------------- |
Posted By: Mike2008
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 3:46pm
| hey..that's the way of life.... :) |
Posted By: standingtyping
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 3:58pm
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he agreed to only wear flesh colored plugs, then wore something else. he was sent home for violating the conditions of his employment, that is not a case of discrimination in my opinion. he was lucky you hired him in the first place considering the company policy.
------------- "One day we will be the most awesome crazy cat ladies EVER... people will know us." |
Posted By: corpsegrind
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 7:30pm
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I face some discrimination working at a Caribou Coffee. But luckily I have made it in good with my employers but if it were to come up with HR I would get in trouble. Its all about how each person takes it at the manager level. I would like to see less discrimination. And I think as time goes on I think it will get better.
------------- Therapy for the soul. |
Posted By: thesounknown
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 7:51pm
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Well I wouldn't really say it was discrimination because he WAS hired there. He just didn't follow the rules. It's kinda his fault... Personally, I wish there weren't rules like that in the first place. The no facial piercings thing. But considering the rule was already in place and he broke it you can't really say it's just discrimination... Seems as though she was a bit harsh with him though. Maybe he really did just forget. I worked at Wal-mart once and did forget to take my facial piercings out for work once. Someone pointed it out to me and I promptly removed them. It was no big deal. Accidents happen. ------------- She looks like the real thing. She tastes like the real thing. My fake plastic love. |
Posted By: kyria430
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 8:40pm
| I agree. I hope the older generation (mine) could begin to see people for who they are and what they do instead of what they see. |
Posted By: Goat_Feet
Date Posted: March/25/2009 at 9:25pm
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Since I've gotten more involved with body modification and the community, I've been more alert to modifications in the public eye. Honestly, I'm seeing more tattoos on TV here and there, in print ads etc. From what I can tell some companies are even getting more tolerant of mods in general. I was recently considering a job and when I called them to ask about visible mods the response I got was "We have no policy about that. Come as you are." I had to pick my jaw up off the floor after that one since it was a marketing position dealing with people face to face. I think with time visible modifications will become more accepted. Think about it - at one time ear piercings on guys and tattoos in general were considered blasphemy and look what you can get away with today. There's hope yet :D ------------- |
Posted By: xoerinxo
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 12:50am
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I'm glad I work at a job that lets me have my mods. everyone I work with is alright with them,and I don't even have to take them out! but I work in sales so I deal with alot of people, and some customers are downright rude to me. I've been told I'm ruining my face by one man, and some people talk to my ears and not to me. it sucks, but i guess they just don't quite understand? |
Posted By: Jesykka
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 2:12am
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I work for a fairly conservative company with a strict uniform policy.
"Two studs or sleepers max per ear, and no visable body piercings, inc' tongue piercings."
Retainers and cover ups are not allowed either, it just can't be there.
The way I see it, they employ me, they're keeping me in a job and there's plenty of people who will have my job if I don't want it. So I will obide by their rules.
In saying that, I've had stuff in that I shouldn't have, but have always made the effort to cover them up. No way would I ever walk into work with an eyebrow piercing, or with my hair all pulled back and all of my ear piercings in. I've had to ask employees to remove piercings before, and I don't feel guilty about it at all, because they were blatanty and knowingly breaking the rules and made no attempt whatsoever to hide it. I'm talking coming in with bright bue nose studs or with lip rings etc. Retainers in nostrils etc I turn a blind eye to, and ifI can't see it, I don't have a problem. I wont go looking for violations.
You gave this kid a chance, and he doesn't seem to appreciate it as he should. If he fails to comply again, he shoud be counseled. ------------- "I get modified for the current trendy vanity worth, im a complete twat, one day all my piercings will be taken out anyway."-Kashina |
Posted By: Jesykka
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 2:16am
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Whoops. Way to hit quote instead of edit, ha. ------------- "I get modified for the current trendy vanity worth, im a complete twat, one day all my piercings will be taken out anyway."-Kashina |
Posted By: Yika
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 3:17am
| i find it very hard to get a job looking the way i do and yes i have been fired from some jobs because of my mods. the last job i had had hired me over the phone so when i had came in for a visit the boss was scared and yes thought i was a meth addict.. i havent done any drugs in over 2 year and any hard drugs in over 5. i also dont drink much and when she had told me about what she had thought of me (she told me after i was threre for about 4 mouths)i just laughed and told her looks ant everything and how shallow can you be for thinking that and hiding it from me all this time |
Posted By: Wallie
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 7:14am
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i have to take all my mods out for work. i was hired with them having a dodgy boss neglected to tell me the company rules or show me anything written, district manager comes in and blasts me for it & of coarse my boss just says he told me all the rules. so that was my 1st written warning sometimes i forget to take out my eyebrow piercing its not something you think of at 5am to do. anyways my new job i can have visible piercings & tattoo's which is great so im designing my full sleeve tattoo as im planning on staying at this new job. ------------- 
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Posted By: Jack Crrack
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 12:18pm
| The way I see it is that it's no diferent from a company havinf a shirt and tie dress code and you walink in in a ripped t-shirt. |
Posted By: NightWolf
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 1:53pm
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Yeah I agree with everyone else. he did break the rules. if he honestly forgot to switch the jewelry, then I think he should be given another chance. My job allows me to have my mods too, even though I don't exactly fit company policy. I'm definitely the most modified of the employees, but I've been there for a year, and they don't really bother me about it.
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Posted By: SacredImages
Date Posted: March/26/2009 at 7:57pm
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Honestly...most of the modded people I've encountered and been a co worker with have been extremely good workers. Is it fair that their mods are held against them? No, but its the choice you make when you decided to modify your body. I don't really see it as discrimination. We choose the way in which we'd like to look. Personally, I believe that the dood should of worn what he said he would wear and then there wouldn't be any problems. ------------- "I got a roll of duct tape and thats something" -P.O.S. |
Posted By: kywilli2063
Date Posted: March/28/2009 at 1:56pm
| he did break that rules he agreed to I guess.....i prolly would have never agreed to such a thing to begin with though.....I don't deal well with people trying to exert authority over me |
Posted By: Duggalo
Date Posted: March/28/2009 at 3:13pm
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It's too bad the supervisor is a bitch and can't get past modifications. But yes, dewd did fuck up. He should have been allowed to change the plugs and continue working with at the most of a verbal warning. People do make mistakes, but a policy was broken.
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Posted By: BP88
Date Posted: March/30/2009 at 1:00am
| A few days ago my boss decided that he didn't want me to wear my 14g labret while working. I had it in for almost two months and he never said anything about it until recently. I took it out and it closed in under four hours. I was a little upset, but at least he lets me wear my lobe jewelry. I work in a tire shop. |
Posted By: jbrethour
Date Posted: March/30/2009 at 3:35pm
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Obviously, a private business can choose things like this, and if a supervisor feels that body mods may be bad for business, then so be it. However, he/she should realize that comes with a cost: searching for and training a new employee, etc. Also, if I hear of a retail outlet, store, etc. that fires somebody because of body mods, especially ones that I have myself, I won't shop there. I figure if I'm not good enough to work at the place I'm also not good enough to shop there. That's why I've stopped shopping at Whole Foods here in Santa Fe: a friend was fired because of his 1 inch earlobes. I haven't given them a cent of my money since.
In specialized fields where a greater level of training/education is required, body mods become less of an issue, because it is harder to find such qualified people. That is my experience.
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