A rant about piercings

[Shinigami Unity]

Hookay. I'm 24 years old and I work for a telephone company and then SUBWAY (grr!). I had a nose piercing and my ears pierced 6 times (in each ear). So even though it was a large amount of piercings (I guess) it wasn't like I had a face full of metal. I also have long hair so unless I pull it back, the ears aren't that noticeable.

I really loved my piercings. They made me happy. And I know it's just a cosmetic thing - doesn't really make me any more or less of a person - but I'm still a little annoyed that I had to pull them ALL out for a job.

The telephone company I work for as a dispatch operator/stand in IT didn't care. They're the ones that have benefits and pay decently.

Subway - however - pays me minimum wage and was the job that told me they had to go. They said that food service inspectors would dock us points if I piercings because they were "unsafe".

So I want to know if anyone else has had this problem - if so - would you take out all of your piercings for a minimum wage job?  

[ThisEmptySoul]

I haven't had this problem, but then of course I also don't have a job.

A friend of mine in high school who worked as a waitress was once told to remove her eyebrow piercing, but it was clamped down a little too hard when she got it done so she was actually unable to take it out. She didn't get fired or anything for it. Her employer just learned to accept it. I don't think everyone would be so nice about it, though... and her circumstance might have helped influence her employer's decision to let her keep working there.  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

In a time where it's so difficult to get a job... yeah, I'd remove piercings for a min. wage gig. Will they let you wear the little clear plastic plugs in place of the earrings?

 

[Divash]

Multiple answers.

1. No, I wouldn't remove piercings, any more than I would shave my head, or any more than I would remove my clothing because it had been out on the public streets. Since diners don't remove their piercings before eating, it means they actually aren't concerned at all about my piercings. The health inspectors need to learn what is, and isn't, sanitary or unsanitary.

2. Yes, I would remove my piercings, or cover them with a Band-Aid if they were too new to be removed. I'd also wear a hairnet, or change into a work uniform. I also wouldn't sweat it if told to remove them. When I was hired, I knew what the job required, and if I didn't like it, I could seek employment elsewhere. Times are tough. We do what the employer requires unless it violates our legal rights or moral code.  

[freaxy]

I refuse to remove my earrings for anyone other than a dentist or doctor for reasons such as x-rays. I woulda personally told subway off, cause my earrings, I believe, are a part of me, a part of my character. Having earrings isn't a hazard or at all unsafe, unless you're using cheap dangly or huge ones that would actually interfere with such work. At a fast food restaurant, I could imagine them requesting to keep a lip ring out, or something a little less common, but earrings, no.
I have 6 total(4 & 2), btw. not sure if I want more yet.  

[Your Bucky]

I'm a teacher and I know it can be a touchy subject. I have 3 piercings in each ear and I would LOVE to get my nose pierced, but I will probably have to wait until I get tenure (in NJ). They can't fire me for a pierced nose, especially when other teachers in the district have their noses pierced.

I think some of it is still the clash between the generations. Much like tattoos, to some of the older or more conservative folk piercings hold a negative connotation. Where as younger or more less conservative people see both as alternative forms of expression. There will always be that difference in opinion.  

[Venuslady]

I guess all I can say is that if you like piercings, go for it! Everyone is different.... as for myself, the only piercing I have are my ears and I had that done WAAAAY back when I was thirteen - a birthday gift from my Mum for turning into a Teenager! ( My Mum is way cool! 4laugh )  

[Eiji]

I took my nose piercing out in order to secure a job in local government. I wish I hadn't have had to, but it's paid for a lot of good things over the years and meant that me and Pinkuiro could move in together, we could get married and we can still buy lots of unnecessary crap to clog up our house with. smile

My wife, who now works in the same unit as I do (although a different line of work), has her lip and tongue pierced and each ear three times. None of those come out for work and they shouldn't either.

I guess the only real factor is if you need the job then you need the job - it's not being a sell-out to make these sacrifices to survive.  

[Wixandrettas]

There are some states that have a strict requirement and standard as far as jewelry in the workplace.

Then there are companies who have a strict work policy when it comes to what their "Uniform" should be.

In New Hampshire, if you wear a ring, ALL you can wear is one single band, no gems, no nothing that can fall our or get caught. Earrings can not dangle or contain gems.

If you accepted a job that had a policy of restricted jewelry, its because you are in customer view and this does not follow their corporate policy.

Your primary full time job doesnt care because you dont come face to face with people, but Subway you do.... so this makes sense.

By accepting Subway's offer, that means you have accepted their uniform policy. You may want to also educate yourself on your state's individual policies concerning jewelry in a food environment  

[Shinigami Unity]

Yes, all this is true - the franchise owner was the one who choose the piercing/jewelry policy. He did this from the stand point that excess jewelry and adornments can carry bacteria and such and contaminate a food service environment. It's not state law - it's the personal opinion of the guy who comes out and gives us a grade on our food safety.

I find it ironic, however, that the job where I have to go out into the business world doesn't mind how I look as long as I wear business clothing.

smile  

[Areashine]

I would take the jewelry off. It's worth it to keep any job. I'm sure that when you were interviewed for the job, your employer made you aware of what they felt was acceptable. That's when you had the opportunity to take the job or not. If you didn't agree with what was said, you didn't need to take the job.

I plan to get a few tattoos, but I'll be getting them on my back due to what I would like to do for a living. My line of work is just not accepting of it.  

[PyroManiaxal]

Earrings have a distinct cleaning ritual behind their upkeep; claiming they are a bacterial health hazard simply because a person has a few extra fails logically. Why ban 5/6 when you can ban 6/6? This is very difficult to compute.

When I was in my junior year of high school, I suddenly became aware that my appearance (at the time and times past) was a bit shocking and unprofessional, so I chose to clean it up - a LOT. I chose to outwardly "grow up" perse, in the way I dressed, accessorized and carried myself. I grew out my hair, let it keep a more natural color, and wore longer skirts/pants/shorts and less leather, metal studs/spikes, and less black makeup. Did I sell out? No... I realized something. By buying all those clothes to "make a statement" I was already selling out. Also, this was back before all the kids got into wearing a pyramid studded belt with blue jeans and a girly top (and when they did, I used to become so enraged by the little wannabes/posers...).

I worked at Subway for a year without a problem. I wasn't allowed to wear a ring with a gem unless it was around my neck, and I had no piercings to worry about.

Now, despite having applied to scores of open positions, some of which are for companies with whom I already have experience, I am still incapable of acquiring a job. I would be so happy to work for Subway again. Even Burger King.

Your point on the irony of each of the jobs you have is intriguing, however. I suppose they have had many personalities work for them, and are a lot more open-minded and acceptable of things that are, nowadays and in most cases more widely accepted. Still, I fail to see how an earring is so hazardous to your health.

How have the jobs been going lately, and changes (if any) have you seen in regards to attitudes toward multiple earrings? How do your coworkers feel about the situation?  

[Shinigami Unity]

Actually, I was presented a choice between working full time days only with Subway and part time days with the telephone company. I choose to stick with the telephone company because it's experience in the field I'm studying. Also, if I can tough it out long enough they will give me a full time job (working 40 hours for the next month).

But I have done some looking - just in the general field of differences in appearance. It's my personal opinion that hiring lemmings does not make a business better - you need different minds to think of new ideas.

The telephone company that I work for - thus far - has not put forth any strict rules on piercings, tattoos, hair color, etc. There might be some unwritten ones pertaining to the outside plant techs, but I would imagine those just consist of whatever they need to keep themselves safe when they're handling live equipment.

While I wouldn't say that they embrace change there - I would say that they are very open to different opinions and ideas. Everything that I have brought forward to my superiors has been met with positive attitude - and I am a rebellious impatient 24 year old.

To me, creating a policy against a certain thing based soley on the thoughts you think are behind it is wrong. I can understand restricting certain things in certain environments - I've worked production and seen what happens when rings get caught in moving parts (no more finger).

The thing that I am worried about selling out to is that - people who do not think about the who,what, whys of what they're implementing - the stuffy boring suits - the sheep.

Granted: I am majoring in IT. I am pretty much screwed.  

[Patron with a Mission]

Personally, if my ears were still pierced, I'd not give them up.

For ROTC class, we HAD to take them off, and thus my piercings closed. Back in high school, in the lab, we had to remove them as well for lab, and we understood the rules.

But in a open-minded world, you could be the remake of Pinhead. I think most employers don't care as long as it does not interfere with their business or with your job. But that's just my opinion.  

[Sweet_lil_tomboy]

I can tell you as a former Manager of a fast-food establishment, there are laws about facial piercings. I wouldn't have made you take out your earrings but the nose would have had to come out while you were on the clock. The reasoning for this rule is very simple, public safety. If for some reason the piercings should fall out and get into the food it would become a safety hazard for the consumer if they were to swallow it and a liability for the company if it were to be found by the consumer. I have two piercings in each ear and I have never been asked to remove any of them for work purposes.