I think I was Discriminated, I went to a grocery store to turn an a Application for a job and the ?

Question

manager gave me a short interview and at the time he was interviewing me he asked me if I could shave my simple beard and I said I can do it, then he asked me if I would cut off my long hair (my hair is tide back neatly) I did ask what is the resin for it, he just wants all the men to have short hair and and shaved beards. Then I said to him I do believe that what you are doing is discrimination. I told him that I do feel this way because there is females here with long, long hair. Can you please help me with this, what can I do about this and what would you do. Thank you.

Answer 1

there's legal discrimination and there's illegal discrimination

it is perfectly legal for an employer to want clean-shaven men, and others need not apply or be hired. . .businesses may have dress codes. . . Arthur Anderson (accounting) required for many, many years that men wear white shirts, dark suits and ties and a hat, that they be clean shaven and have short hair. . .it was part of their corporate look. . .also FBI today, military, many police departments, etc.

now the issue of long hair could be illegal discrimination if women can, but not men have long hair. . . that may be illegal discrimination based on s*x

but is it worth suing over?  takes years and money to get to court, so unless you find an attorney willing to take case pro bono, it's a long haul. .

Answer 2

It's not discrimination.  Your work has the right to control your appearance except for some religious observances.

Answer 3

Do not take it personal, its not discrimination. Perhaps the manager could have chosen his words more carefully. But, its not discrimination. If you went into the military, they would have asked you to do the same thing, relax man...

Answer 4

If you want the job, shave and cut your hair.  If you want to keep the beard and long hair, look for a different job where they don't care.  That isn't discrimination.  You'd give someone at the EEOC office a good laugh if you went to them with that story.

Answer 5

It is not discrimination.  Nowhere in the laws does it state that you have a legal right to keep long hair and a beard for a job.

In fact, MOST places won't allow you to keep it.

As soon as you said, "I feel that is discrimination" you lost the job.  I wouldn't recommend that in the future b/c no employer wants a troublemaker.

There isn't anything you can do, but as long as you want to maintain both, unless you want a job as a rock star, work in a tattoo parlor, or an alternative clothing store, I see a very bleak future in front of you.

Answer 6

jThere is nothing you can do, although it is frustrating people are free to uphold whatever image they want for their business.  I understand why you feel the way you do and i think alot of people should reconsider, but there is nothing you can do.  You either comply or get a different job.

Answer 7

Not discrimination in the slightest.

If you want the job, cut your hair, shave, etc.  Many, many positions require the same thing.  Do you want the hair or the job?  It's your choice.

Answer 8

This is not discrimination based on s*x. A large number of court cases have upheld the employer's right to have different dress and grooming codes for men and women. At many jobs, women are permitted to wear dangling earrings, while men are not. Women are required to wear bras, while men are not. Women are permitted to wear skirts and red nail polish, while men are not. Men are permitted to wear white shirts without a slip underneath, while women are not.

This merely reflects the reality that men and women dress differently in our society.

Sorry, but it is reasonable for an employer to set different standards for hair length for men and women. If you choose to have long hair, be aware that it's going to make it more difficult to find a job.

(In a few states, such as New Jersey, transgendered individuals are protected from discrimination under state law. In those states, if you are a man who self-identifies as a woman, you may be permitted to wear dangling earrings, nail polish, make-up, etc. However, you would have to meet all the dress code standards for females, not just some of them.)  

Answer 9

Hair length is not one of the categories protected by discrimination laws.

Answer 10

the person below me is right. i agree w/ u its wrong but it's the imagine he wants his businesses to have. if u don"t want to do it if u feel its wrong look for a job that wont mind u having a long hair and beard as long as u look clean i don't see the problem in it u said it was pulled back neat but still u can't do anything about it just find a job that don't mind.  

Answer 11

Actually an employer can tell you what appearance they require.  Most employer's have a Employee Handbook and there is a section on how to dress, what kind of jewelry you can wear, how to be groomed, cover tattoes, not open toed shoes, women are even told how much make they can wear, and can go into a lot more detail than that, like the manger talked to you about.  I would say you weren't discriminated against because he was basically asking you if you could abide by his dress code (which includes short hair and shaven).  If you say no I can't then your telling the employer you can not meet the requirements of this job.  Normally it would make sense for an employer not to ask you this in an interview, it would be more proper to discuss the rules of employment and ask if you could follow them.  The military has some of the same requirements (men have to shave their heads, women don't but has to be pulled back in a bun) as do other Employers.  This employer has rules on appearance, and as long as all the men are meeting this requirement he is not discriminating - if he discriminated he would tell you I won't hire you because you have a some facial hair and long hair, but he didn't put it that way, he asked if you could basically follow their dress/appearance code.  Technically you might have a discrimination suit because he doesn't require women to cut their hair, though he may require them to pull it back, but something like this would require a  lawyer who likes to pick apart employment law and sees this as a true discrimination, time, and money, not to mention you may no even win.  But that would be something you need to decide, is it really worth it. But personally I think this employer was in his right to have a dress code and ask you to abide by it.  However, if you want to file a complaint w/o a lawyer you can do so with the EEOC, but that complaint could only be filed if you feel you aren't selected for the job based on your appearance, in which case will be difficult to prove as this is an entry level job, and the employer requires this from any male he would hire, so you really wont know if that was a deciding factor, he could say he selected someone w/more availability. Long story short, if you don't want to cut your hair your better off finding an employer that doesn't mind male employees w/long hair, or an employer whose dress code isn't as strict.

HR Manager