Comments on: What can I do about my employer discriminating against me?

By: bdancer222

bdancer222 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:36 +0000

You have the right to have as many face piercings as you want. However, your employer does not have to allow you to wear them at work. They don’t have to give you any reason either.

It is not discrimination. You can remove the piercing and keep the job or keep the piercings and go elsewhere.

By: ajsnskool

ajsnskool — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:36 +0000

I hate to be the one to break this to you but MOST businesses don’t allow piercings (among other things, ie: alot of visible tattoos, etc). Knock yourself out and stand up for your beliefs, but realize that very few businesses will hire you, and those that do, won’t be paying all that much. You might have the right to do whatever you want to your body, but an employer has a right not to hire you/keep you employed at his/her business. Its called professionalism.

By: Judy

Judy — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:36 +0000

Discrimination is defined as being treated worse than others because you are a member of some legally protected class, like gender or race, or being over age 40. Piercings don’t qualify as "discrimination". They can fire you for having them, or (if you are in the US and not in Montana) for no reason at all - they don’t have to show you a line in the employee handbook that limits facial piercings. And gee, you said you found it on the website - what part of that don’t you understand?

Stand up for your beliefs if you feel that strongly, but you’ll be standing out on the street, and won’t be eligible for unemployment either if you are fired for deliberately violating company policy.

The fact that people in other line groups have multiple piercings does not mean that YOUR boss has to allow them. You could see if you could get hired into one of the other groups, or go back to your old group where they didn’t seem to care?.

By: george 2

george 2 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:36 +0000

different job different set of rules.

By: Paul a

Paul a — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:36 +0000

Are your beliefs stronger than your need for the money from the job?
If they are give up now and get another job, even taking your piercings out if necessary to keep this job till you get another.

Seems like you hit a brick wall with this employer or person - there are plenty of horrible employers out there.
What really counts is how you are going to press your point home. If it is racial or sexual discrimination you might have a chance of waiting months for an employment tribunal only to lose if it is in the staff handbook you signed for.