Pretty-Piercing.com

Piercings and Employers Who Don't Appreciate Them

Several readers of RAB have been suspended or fired because they are pierced. In the United States, employers apparently have the right to establish and enforce employee dress codes. Unless there are specific laws in your state/county/city prohibiting job discrimination based on appearance you do not have many options.

Because many employers have encountered pierced employees before, the dress code often specifies ear and visible facial piercings (this may or may not include tongue piercings).

If the dress code is established after you were employed with visible piercings or after you acquire your piercings and you are fired, you could file a civil lawsuit and argue that the dress code targets you.

Following is an example of one such case in which the employer changed the dress code after an employee acquired an adornment the employer found unacceptable:

In this case the employee can argue that the employer violated the employer-employee contract by changing conditions of employment to target the employee. The employee could consult with an attorney or the ACLU if he/she feels so inclined.

In the food , medical and chemical industries there may exist valid health department or industry standards regarding food preparers not wearing jewelry for the same reasons they may require that preparers wear hairnets.