Employees and beards

[MandaC]

I have seen women who can do nothing short of shaving like a man due to hormonal issues (like PCOS)

We had one such lady and boss wanted someone to speak to her and nobody would at the time(including me)

Girl was having laser treatment over a period of months and part of it involved letting the facial hair grow to react to the laser. She was embarassed enough about it as it was without having people comment.

If a person has a medical problem, that is a totally different issue than, say, a guy too lazy to shave or groom.

 

[MrMan]

I'm not saying that women should be called to task over facial hair because as you say it is already something they may be uncomfortable with, but I wouldn't necessarily describe it as a medical problem. some guys might have a complex about their face and want to cover it with a beard, a guy that looks too lazy to shave may be just starting a beard, anyways i was really playing devils advocate on this one.

 

[Bronte]

Re: poor employees

This isn't always the case and i have seen women with a lot of facial hair that are very presentable.

I'm trying to think and I don't think I've seen a women with facial hair only about twice in my life but I wouldn't be looking at women closely I guess unlike yourself. Pray tell what is acceptable facial hair on a women

 

[MrMan]

Re: poor employees

Its the ones that you don't have to look closely at that I'm refering to.

 

[cork]

Re: poor employees

I suppose its a question of what your rules are in the office.

But no office can issue dictats on this.

If you are working in a bank, insurance office, bar, school etc - if you don't feel like shaving - it is not a big deal.

What company can issue dictats on dress codes?

They might huff & puff - but really beyond this - they are on thin ice.

 

[Betsy Og]

I think the phrase "Get with the programme" applies here. Unless you're prepared to keep with dress code, appearance, hygiene etc. then take a hike.

You can be as much of a rebel as you want on your own time, cover your back and chest in tatoos if you want as long as they are not visible.

 

[truthseeker]

I used to work in a supermarket and men were not allowed to be seen to be 'growing' a beard. But they were allowed to have a full grown, groomed one. The thinking was that it looked unhygenic to see stubble, but not to see an actual beard.

One particularly hairy guy made it a point to encourage the hair from his chest and neck up and out around his collar - but remained clean shaven on the face.

Often guys would go on holidays for a week and return with a full beard.

The kicker in the whole thing was all staff on food counters had to wear hair nets - but not beard nets (or eyebrow nets for that matter, or moustache nets), so bald bearded guys wore nothing, and handled food, leaned over food and were more likely to drop hairs on the food than a clean shaven guy with a full head of hair.

 

[Mpsox]

Re: poor employees

But no office can issue dictats on this.

If you are working in a bank, insurance office, bar, school etc - if you don't feel like shaving - it is not a big deal.

What company can issue dictats on dress codes?

They might huff & puff - but really beyond this - they are on thin ice.

Actually they are not on thin ice. The Labour Court has said in the past that a company is entitled to set a dress code to project the commercial image it seeks

Providing the dress code is not discrminatory, eg prohibiting female staff from wearing trousers for example, and providing it the policy is clearly stated to staff, an employer is more then likely within their rights to lay down standards