Earrings, Earrings, Earrings

ScorpioHR · July 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-06-04 AT 07:01PM (CST)[/font][br][br][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-06-04 AT 06:59 PM (CST)[/font]

Well, I am new here, so, please be nice - I could run away!
We are a small medical firm, we have couriers that deliver and pick up films from referring physicians, I recently hired a new courier, he has complied with the uniform requirements (even went out and bought his own so he did not have to wait for an order)The problem is this, he has two steel gauge hoops in his ears (one in each) the doctors I work for have a problem with this, so, they offered to buy him new earrings that are smaller and not as noticeable-Their opinion is he is out there representing our firm and should present a neat and clean appearance. By asking him to "tone down" the hoops and offering to pay for him to do so, are we within our rights? Should something happen down the road can he come back and retaliate? And, last but not least, are we setting precedent by doing this??? So many questions, so little time! Thanks for helping!(p.s. dress policy states "two piercings per ear, does not qualify whether male or female)

ooops, definitely new, meant to post in hr law, sorry, can it be moved?

Don D · July 2004

The company has a right to set and expect compliance with a dress code. And even though he may appear to be in compliance, the doctors who run your company have every right to tell him what they will tolerate. The hoops go or he does. It really doesn't matter what you or I or the next guy thinks about hoops on guys; but it does matter what the people who own the place think and if it doesn't meet their idea of good P.R. either he goes or the hoops do. Do you drug screen? Now, that was an unnecessary question.

ScorpioHR · July 2004

Thanks Don, I agree absolutely! And yes, we do drug screen!

marc · July 2004

Make sure the policy is applied consistently to all of your EEs. All men need to follow the policy.

And be careful about wording. You can get yourself in a real pickle interpreting some of these things. It is OK to have different standards for men than women. Earings are acceptable for women, but not for men. And trying to regulate the size of an earring could be a real nightmare. Next, he will comply with a smaller earring, but it will be a skull and crossbones and you probably won't be happy with that either. Just think it through from the standpoint of trying to administer your well meaning policies withoug setting yourself up for more grief with the practical day to day meaning of the policy.

System · July 2004

ScorpioHR, welcome to the Forum. I moved your message here like you asked.

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

ScorpioHR · July 2004

James, Thank you, I will try to watch "what lane I am in" when I post ;;)

Don D · July 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-08-04 AT 07:52AM (CST)[/font][br][br]But, back to Marc's post...

This is the same tired old thing we've had for years with dress codes with employees who DECIDE to push the envelope. I would not bother with trying to word an iron-clad dress code. Mention 'good taste' and when he acts like an idiot and demands to have that interpreted, tell him "I will tell you if they are not in good taste and you will be expected to change them in that case". Then if skulls and crossbones appear, assuming the Doctors would be bothered by that, tell the guy. We've had a number of 'dress code' threads on the Forum in the past several months and I think the concensus has been that the employer does have an absolute right to enforce it's desires. Florida is far enough removed geographically and in ideology from the 'left coast' that I don't see it becoming any sort of employee right issue. I would tell him that the staff down at the unemployment claims office won't care about those hoops at all.

KD13 · July 2004

It is my understanding as well that the employer sets the dress code that it expects from it's employees. The company has the final say. I recently hired a well dressed lady for a receptionist position. Her first day on the job she wore a sleeveless shirt and showing tatoos on both arms. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting that. I told her right away to cover them up and they would not be uncovered from this point on. She was ok with it as she understood she was the first physical contact with some customers and vendors.

Don D · July 2004

I think you meant to say 'visual contact'.

dchr9203 · July 2004

An employer is within their rights to set, interpret and enforce dress code. We had the same problem with a male ER Registration Clerk. Hoops were huge, CFO asked him to remove, he refused, he was told remove or leave. He left. Our dress code specifically states "as deemed by management" and when the CFO or CEO says they don't want guys wearing hoops bigger than their head, or gals walking around with belly rings showing, then that's how it is. By the way, our code specifically addresses appropriate and inappropriate for both male and female, including too many earrings, body piercings, tattoos, etc.

Pork · July 2004

SCORPIOHR: Welcome to the forum glad you took an opportunity to post. Never, never, run we may not agree with what you write, but we will always give you a response. Just remember it is only words on the video screen and we professionals truly meant to help, regardless of the issues. You take from the screen what you want and leave the rest on the screen. Always consider contacting your own retainted attorney for those issues where we forum members may disagree with each other's history, experience, and ability to read and write. some of us are better at using this medium for guidance than others.

Now, Don is right on! Tell the individual to move to my state, and he can work with our "HOGs", they don't care if he has rings or not and we don't care where they are placed, unless the rings are on his hands and might injury the sow while "pulling Pigs". I could put him into our delivery truck this morning and he can deliver the "golden juices" to our many different locations. Now if he wanted to be our receptionist, he would not be allowed to face the public with unsightly rings nor pants fitting to his knees that should be on his waist, that is a safety issue and he could not work around our hogs, he might not be able to egress from the scene when a "hog" wants to attack.

My "pigs worth"

Dandy PORK, it is so good!

Earrings, Earrings, Earrings

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