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Body Art and Employment |
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Part 1: Band-aids Aren't Just for Boo-Boos Anymore
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Join the Discussion
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"I think the band-aid thing is stupid. A healed piercing looks much more hygienic to me than a big ol' band-aid that makes my imagination run wild as to what is under it."
NZen
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A couple of weeks ago I was shopping at the local supermarket and as I was checking out, I noticed that the guy that was bagging my groceries was wearing a band-aid on his ear. My first thought was that he had some kind of hideous scab he was trying to cover up until I noticed the captive bead ring underneath it. The bandaid was being used as a "cover-up" of sorts, because apparently employees of the store are not allowed to wear body jewelry while working.
I really felt bad for the guy - I'm sure he doesn't need me to tell him that the band-aid looks just awful, but he does what he has to in order to keep both his piercing and his job. What I don't understand is the thinking (or lack thereof) that went into creating this store policy in the first place. Do these employers really think that a big tacky brown bandage looks better than a piece of jewelry?
Not to mention the fact that this is sexual discrimination if I've ever seen it. If a woman came into employment of this store and had her ears pierced, would she be required to cover her earrings with band-aids? Of course not. In fact, there were several ladies in the same store working there with their jewelry in full view. Of course, it was standard post-and-back jewelry. What if one of these women was wearing captive bead rings? Why is it that a choice of jewelry turns a simple piercing into a violation of employment policy? Why is there a line of difference between "regular" jewelry and "body" jewelry - and when did body jewelry become evil?
Many employers will defend these ludicrous policies by stating that body jewelry and piercings detract from the professional appearance the company wants to portray. Dudes - it's a supermarket. Or a fast food chain. These workers are not in a professional environment or paid enough to be professional. Personally, I don't give a rat's ass if the girl that serves me a burger or bags my groceries has her eyelids pierced - as long as she does her job and does it right.
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