Tattoo Policy?

People complain about company rules or policies, but they are there for a reason. You don't have to agree with them, nor do you have to work for a company whom you disagree with their policies.

 

Here's my tat.

 

I sure don't and I won't, but I'll work for their competitor and they just lost a good driver. You can take Jeffrey Dahmer and put a suit and tie on him and hire away.

 

How often does someone fail to get hired because they don't have enough tattoos or piercings? Ever? With the exception of military, what could be so important that you'd volunteer to put limitations on you. You don't hurt "the man" when you stuff metal in your face or ink yourself, you put limits on your self. You can tell the employers their rules are silly but those are their rules. Discipline your self so others won't have to. It's not expressing your freedom, it's putting on the uniform of some group you ID with. It's just that the uniform of the group isn't bought in a store it's installed with sharp objects. The beatniks and the hippies were anything but non-conformists. They were the very definition of conformists, they just picked which dress code they would conform to. Ditto the gang-bangers, hard-cores, and others. Recognize it's just a fashion statement or signal you want to be accepted in some group just like everyone else, including teenage drama queens that go ballistic over the slightest fashion violation from the group. Everyone is wearing a uniform, everyone is living inside someone else's guidelines.

Half of the conversations I have about others drivers getting hired by the company I work for is a combination of "I''m tired of working for a lousy company, I hear your company pays well, maintains their trucks, and the pay/benefits are nice." and "That's crazy, I'm not cutting my hair, shaving my beard, going that slow, wearing a uniform, yadda yadda, yadda." If it's just hair, or just ink, or just a shirt why would you pass up a good job to keep it? It seems to be far more important that you keep the mullet than leave your bad job/get a better job. That's sane?

Why is t so important to signal you are anything but unpierced, un-inked, etc? Are the inked and pierced not judging also? The black kids with over sized, saggy pants think they look cool and deny they are putting obstacles in their path, but they are, even if the other saggy pants agree it should be no obstacle.

 

Seriously, Hunter? .... I was responding to what you do when the ink spreads into an unrecognizable blob. At no point did I insinuate someone should be forced to undergo removal. I certainly wouldn't. And I have a rather eclectic collection of tattoos myself.

That said. If I run a company and my policy is no tattoos where they can be seen, that's my choice because it's MY company. It's no different than requiring a uniform.

 

Have you seen some of the life rejects these big companies have working for them? A tattoo freak would fit right in...

Good lord its all most of these companies can do is to have their drivers put socks shoes and clothing that covers more than half of their bodies. Hells bells, you dont even have to speak English anymore. Having a tattoo is gonna be just about the least of their worries.

 

To some of us it's not just hair, or just ink. My sleeve commemorates a significant portion of my life, as well as being a memorial to my father. I would no more cover it up under orders than you would piss on a loved ones headstone if I told you you had to do it or be fired. It was my choice to get it and I will live with the consequences, but I will NOT let someone tell me I have to cover it up because society can't handle it.

Tattooing has been around for centuries, its nothing new. I think society needs to grow up.

I'd be more concerned with the truckers I see who are morbidly obese, at least one of every 3 I see in a TS is a fat slob in flip flops wearing a stained wifebeater. You see dirty, stinking, unkempt individuals I would'nt have working in my cemetery let alone dealing with customers. I sold headstones as one of my lobs for 17 years and never had a customer not buy or come back because of my tattoos and piercings, in fact I had many return customers. And I usually dealt with then wearing my work clothes of cargo shorts/pants and sleeveless shirts since I was usually working outside when a customer would come and I'd have to go to the office.

It's nothing more than another means of control like politics and religion...just another means to control the populace.

 

So then the thing to do would be to apply to companies with no restriction to tattoos. Lord knows, there are plenty out there. I don't have anything against tattooing or displaying them.

The problem I would have is if a newbie came in, knowing policy, and then kick up a fuss because policy isn't "fair" to him or her. I had the same issue when I worked my butt off to make standard for the fire department, only for a bunch of girly-girls get their panties all twisted up because they couldn't pass the physical requirements. After I worked so hard, standards were changed so they could be members without working as hard as I did....because the bosses were afraid of a lawsuit. If you don't like the requirements a company has in place, don't work there. Whether it's tattoos, gum chewing, uniforms, language or requiring everybody to wear a Bozo wig and nose...if the company requires it and you cannot or will not comply, find a different employer. They shouldn't have to change their tradition for you.

 

Please don't take me wrong. I didn't say I would not allow them. I was trying to say if that was my policy....basically, it's my company and I get to make the rules. That's all.

Carry on...