Its their buisness. Don't like their rules, don't work there. Anti-discrimination laws are a joke.
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Its their buisness. Don't like their rules, don't work there. Anti-discrimination laws are a joke.
I've got to admit I'm surprised by the responses here.
The number of people I see every single day working their jobs and covered in tattoos and piercings. I know that there are certain jobs where it would be expected that you look clean-cut, but being a clerk at a video store is not one of them.
There are girls working at the day care up the street from my house who have double lip piercings and tattoos on their necks.
I'm pretty sure places of businesses are allowed to have a dress code, and if piercings and tattoos violate that dress code, you aren't going to get hired if you have them. At Hollywood Video, I had to take my earrings out every day, and that was a video store. If I had had visible tattoos I would have had to find a way to cover them. I know nothing of Canadian law or Canadian businesses, but this isn't rare at all in the U.S. In fact, when I was in high school, I didn't get a job because I had long hair. It was against their policy for guys to have long hair, and I didn't want to cut mine.
I guess I just thought that society was moving past prejudices with tattoos and piercings.
Both are becoming more and more common every day.
A private company that wants to maintain mainstream appeal and not scare off/alienate all the more conservativeolds will probably want to scare off a large part of their customer base with dudes with gauge earrings, long hair, excessive jewelry, or other signifiers that especially those in older generations tend to distrust. Dress codes are, I'm pretty sure, protected, as it's not quite the same thing as racial or sexual discrimination. You might argue it isn't far from it, and I might even agree, but I don't think it's legally the same thing.
Maybe in fifteen, twenty years, this will change. I know around downtown Salt Lake, one of the more liberal parts of Utah and probably the intermountain West, it is more common to see youths with visible tattoos, colored hair, and piercings working even at the national chains.
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I think people view them as unprofessional, and I don't see that changing any time soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
That's exactly it, Syco. I see people my age and with more stuff than I have working at places like Wal-Mart, Chapters, Giant Tiger, grocery stores, and other video stores. Hell, the manager of the Rogers in Stittsville (the suburb I live in) has a labret piercing.
It just seemed really weird to me that such a low-profile, minimum wage job would be that up-in-arms about piercings and tattoos.
I have never, ever had a negative comment directed towards my piercings. Not even from "old folks".
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Originally Posted by Kurosawa Fan
I guess I've really just screwed myself, then.
Two of my earrings are guaged to the point where I would need surgery to have them closed.
Tattoos are becoming more common, but visible tattoos that can't be easily covered up are still something that the vast majority of people don't have. Retail businesses in particular focus heavily on what image they present to their clientele and usually hesitant to expose their prospective customers to anything that would make them uncomfortable. Obviously things that cannot be changed (race, disabilities, etc.) are often protected under anti-discrimination laws, but things that are clearly a choice (tattoos, piercing, long hair) are usually okay to discriminate against. I'm surprised they didn't at least ask if you would be willing to take out your earrings while at work, though. Also, I'm not necessarily agreeing with these businesses, just suggesting why they might act that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
OK long hair has been mentioned a few times here.
What about my situation - I shave my head to hide the fact that my hair has thinned so badly I have a huge bald spot on the top of my head.
Could a business say "no, we're not hiring you because we don't like the look of 1/4" hair"?
I'll agree with that. It does seem odd, though I don't know what kind of people normally go to this video store. Is it mostly older, conservative people who've never heard of Netflix or a more alternative crowd?Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
Realistically, regardless of its rightness or wrongness, you have certainly closed off some, several, or many doors by altering your appearance so. Which sucks, but it is a built-in cost.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
That kinda thing happens when you live among people with existing prejudices, which we all do.
Good luck with the job search, though! You'll probably find another place with a more lenient policy.
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Originally Posted by Derek
Well, we don't have Netflix in Canada. We have our own version of it, but it's nowhere near as extensive or, well, good.
I imagine teenagers are their prime clientele. Their video game section is bigger than their movie section.
They also have a booth in the far corner of the store which sells cell phones and cable internet packages.
Technically, I suppose they could if they thought their customers would feel uncomfortable around someone with 1/4" hair, although that's not something I ever imagine happening. If they wanted to say that everyone who works there must have hair between 1-2", they can do that.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
Maybe? But nobody does that.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
That hotel job I mentioned also wanted me to cut my hair and I didn't want to at the time.
They could, but short hair is more acceptable on males, and viewed as more masculine. Long hair is feminine, and associated with the "hippy" movement, and therefore looked down upon. At least, that's how it was when I was in high school and was turned down.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
Hmm, then they probably have an uptight owner or something like that. Fortunately, it sounds like there are a lot of other stores around you that have no problems with tattoos/piercings, so hopefully you won't run into this problem again.Quote:
Originally Posted by megladon8
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Originally Posted by Derek
I hope so.
I'm basically at a stage where I'm just looking for any kind of employment to get me through the next 6-8 months and save a good chunk of $$ before I move to the USA.
I thought that was the understood trade-off with piercings and tattoos. You make a counter-culture statement and celebrate your individuality with the understanding that certain avenues may not be open to you anymore. But screw them, because I'm my own man, or something like that.
I have longish hair and a beard, and I HATE it when someone goes "Yeah, he does look like an artist".
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Originally Posted by Spinal
Well, my logic was that, I know I'm never going to be working an office job. They do not interest me at all, and I would hate hate hate that environment. So since I'm not planning to work in formal environments, I thought it was a relatively safe choice to make.
I have fantastic people skills and a good resume. I think that should count for more.
Just as an addendum to this post, I will say that this was just one interview. It's not like I'm thinking "MY GOD, I'M NEVER GOING TO FIND WORK!!" It was just surprising to me that this job in particular was so sticky with their policies on this. It wasn't the type of place I expected to have rules like that.
Well, best of luck. Looking for a job sucks.
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Originally Posted by Spinal
Thanks.
I'm going to go on an applying spree within the next week or so.
Once I find a job, I really don't think I'm going to even give the brewery 2 weeks notice or anything - it'll just be "sorry, not coming in Monday, I've found something else".
Even though I enjoyed and was interested in the actual work, I was not treated very well. I was paid terribly while everyone else was paid fairly decent wages, and the job has honestly taken a toll on my health.
I don't really owe them anything. Especially after spending more than 8 months being told I was going to get a substantial raise, and it never really happening.
Writing my first research paper in... oh my god, a decade? At least 7 or 8 years. I don't know if I know how to do this!