Ever since i was a young boy i had alwase admired tattoo's and piercings, as of today i simply have 5/8" silicon eyelets in my ears, but as a year ago i had six piercings (Including my ears), two 14g lip piercings, one 4g labret, and a 2g tongue bar. I was told by my parents (as well as friends) that i would have a hard time finding a job with my piercings, so i simply took them out and they have since grown closed and continued on with my job search, taking out my eyelets when i was on an interview. Due to a car accident and a bad back injury nearly a year later i was forced to stay at home, without a job, and without my beautifull piercings, of which took me nearly half a year to stretch (I refuse to take out my ears, as i've stretched them for a few years now). I've noticed that i never really looked the same, and i miss my piercings, but i'm not simply going to have them re-done as i will have to start looking for a job again. Feeling a bit sad, without my piercings, i am wondering why anyone would have to do this (and to my understanding it happens alot) just to get a job. Is there any reason other than making old ladies feel disgusted when they look at you? Is this not a form of Discrimination? Has anyone else had this problem? Do you think the laws are fine the way they are or should they be changed?
I'm a firm believer in a free market. If, for any reason, a business owner doesn't want to hire a particular individual, he/she should't be forced to hire that person. I've been in a wheelchair for 10 years. If an employer doesn't hire me for that reason, I'm perfectly ok with it. There are people I wouldn't hire if it were my business. The Gov't should stay out of it. Affirmative action and quotas are anti-freedom.
Some work places would argue piercings are a health and safety hazard, others that there may be hygiene issues. And to some extent they would be right --working up close with high-voltage equipment or heavy machinery may be tricky --not to mention an MRI scanner. In kitchens, people are supposed to remove any jewelry that can get lost in the food or be a bacteria trap; even wedding rings are not exempt. In services where you may be exposed to challenging behaviour, anything that a person can grab on to and pull may be discouraged (including ties). Mostly, I think it is about corporate/business image in what is basically still a rather conservative society. Almost all employers would require you to turn up clean and groomed --which is considered a reasonable demand. But dress code is often based on convention. Some places require ties. Hardly an essential piece of clothing, but there you are. In the UK, you are not allowed to wear blue jeans to most places of work. Chinos are OK, so are denim trousers --as long as they are not blue. Go figure... The question is what is considered acceptable professional appearance, and what isn't. As illustrated by the blue jeans example, it is based on abitrary convention and local culture, not common sense. In Holland it is not at all unusual for a barrister to wear jeans under their robes. In the UK it would be unheard of. Piercings and tatoos, I guess, are considered by conservative society to still be rather inappropriate. In a rock band they would be an asset-- but convention and corporate image in that sub-culture have a whole different set of standards... Mainstream society values change over time, of course, but meanwhile you're stuck with it and you have a choice to make... and a price to pay. Everybody does.
But its not really up to a single employer, its pretty much every single nationally owned business that has laws that dont allow facial piercings, tattoo's, or stretched ears(even a single stud if your talking about winn-dixie or publix). I'm not really talking about forcing an employer to hire a person with such aspects, but not discriminated against someone because they have them. Yes, but why are there a corporate/business image in such lower industries. I could understand if i was going to a board meeting and had my facial piercings in, but not in most other business's where you dont even wear a suit or tie, you still cant wear them, and it isnt mostly a safety hazard, hell i wear silicon jewelry which is surgical grade and non-magnetic. Therefor there should be NO reason for me to not have a job, because of the way i look, correct?
But if no employer ever hires you because of that reason, even though you are quite capable of doing the job well, and you stay poor and unemployed as a result, you may sort of feel unfairly treated. Free market is great. For those in the market.
Look, as I said: most dress codes are based on convention, not reason. Don't expect rationality. It makes no sense because there isn't any. It does not matter how clean and non-magnetic your jewelry is though. If it can get lost in someone's lobster termidor or a delicate piece of machinery, it's out. If bacteria can hide from a hand wash under a ring (even a pure silver one), it's out. Moreover companies will apply a sweeping rule. Just because you may have the good sense to employ good personal hygiene and have clean and non-magnetic piercings, doesn't mean others do. Just because that girl may have a cute little bunny tattooed on her bum, doesn't mean that guy doesn't have a spider's web splashed all over his face. The rules have to cover all scenarios, and like a blunderbus, they do...
The possibility exists but nothing is going to stop me from starting my own business. I'm aware that there are some jobs I just can't do. You should hire the best person available for a job. As a computer programmer or mechanical engineer I'd be a good choice. If the job entails digging ditches or framing a house, I'm not the man for the job. It may not be fair but life isn't fair. In America we have the right to pursue happiness. It is not guaranteed. Government will always disappoint you.
But you keep going back to business's that require all jewlry, wether it be a facial piercing or not, to be removed. I am talking about business's such as video stores, grocery stores (bagging, stock), department stores and the like. But i still believe there shouldnt be a sweeping rule towards everyone, that would be like saying the person who has **** Jews written across his forearm would be the same as the person who has a Tribal Piece of Art across his forearm. Even with facial piercings it is still different, there is no rhyme or reason other than 'just because'. Are you honestly telling me that this is the right way to do things? These pieces of jewelry are not just fashion to alot of people who get affected (not the mallrats who crawl from fad to fad) they are art, and a lifestyle. That would be like telling someone who is gay, you cant work at my store.
If you aren't marketable in one industry, for any reason, you can change your lifestyle (or keep it private) or seek another job. It should be at the discretion of the employer in question whether or not you are/are not hired.
Yes it should, but not on the way you look, it should be because i have crappy skills at the job i am applying for. If i am qualified for the job, why not hire me? Oh, and you shouldnt have to keep your lifestyle a secret if you dont want too, this is exactly the reason why being gay cannot get you fired from a job.
If it is not a Gov't (state, local, federal) job, an employer should make the decision as to who he/she hires. I make George Bush seem like a San Fancisco hippy. If that offends my employer, he/she should be able to fire me. If somebody only wants gay Muslims from Siberia working for them that is their perogative.
I use all of those and my piercings havnt been a problem... MRI scanner could get messy! Luckily I work in University Education and we have very relaxed dress code (same as when I worked for NHS too)
Personally, I believe in hiring whoever is right for the job. If that means I have an office full of people that look like Pinhead from Hellraiser, so be it. As long as they are the right people for the job. I think a lot of this is to do with society being too appearance-based. And, there's still a lot of people that don't have any tolerance for anyone different from them, and will extend that intolerance as far and wide as they can. I think it's merely another form of discrimination. But hey, isn't everything?
People with piercings can always wear a retainer when they go for their interview. I've seen flesh coloured plugs upto 30mm so not much you cant hide.
That, by and large, is true. Agreed, but remember I said: No I wasn't. I was just trying to be balanced and say that sometimes there is a logical reason. But I was also saying: That doesn't imply that I think it is right (I mean, that should be kind of obvious!). But as .308AR says: This is the deal. Make your choice, and accept the consequences.
I don't know about you, but I've been poorly recently... Anyway, I know that our disagreements can be, well, passionate. But that's not a bad thing (indifference is worse). And just as I'm prepared to say when I think you are wrong, I am equally prepared to say when I think you are right.
