Ear Rings & Studs

Newbie Joined: Aug 20, 2006 Posts: 2

Can your employer tell you to take your ear stud out or face disiplinary action as i have one in my left ear to reflect my sexual orentation and as i work within a retail shopping centre we all work for the same company cleaners security management but it appears that they allow cleaners to wear there earrings just wondering if any advice can be offered?
cheers
Pete

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:41 pm

It depends on whether jewellery is mentioned in your terms and conditions of employment as prohibited items...

If not then sensible items should be permitted... obviously huge hanging ear-rings or massive gothic skull rings and such like will be frowned upon from an aesthetic and a health and safety standpoint...

Is this standard being policed consistently within your company??? Are women allowed to wear studs??? If so you can wear them too...

I wouldn't use the argument that you wear it to display your sexuality... gay and straight men and women wear ear-rings... It will sound as if your touting for trade or something...

We strive to operate an equal opportunities culture in this industry, with varying success across the board... To imply that by being gay you're being different could put you at a disadvantage professionally and socially...

Cheers

Forum Addict Joined: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 122

i mean not to antagonise - but why is it that you must display your sexual orientation?

most standard of uniform does not allow for this. indeed ive not encountered one yet which allows for wearing of jewlerry outside of studs for womens ears and wedding/engagement rings.

i can see no reason you 'need' to demonstrate your sexual orientation whilst at work. indeed i can think of many reasons you should not. that aside its not 'equality' that someone should be allowed to demonstrate their sexual orientation because of what it is.

remember: no discrimination be it race, age, creed, religion, sexual orientation and so forth. that applies equally to gay, straight and bi.

if someone said they were being discriminated against for not being allowed to demonstrate their sexual orientation whilst at work - then i will counterclaim that i as a straight person am being discriminated against because someone is using their 'minority' (for want of a better word) status to their advantage. positive discrimination, basically.