Tattoos and corporate buttmonkeying

[mluyckx]

Baron, right, wrong or indifferent, Russ and DocHudson are right. They can change the rules, you either follow them or get fired without much chance for unemployment.
Wear what the guys are recommending while looking for another job. You're right that sticking around is probably futile. Try Childrens up the road there. They were hiring maintance guys not too long ago. Good luck. I'll keep an eye out.

 

[baronsamedi]

Like I said before, I don't plan on quitting. That would be silly. I'm just going to do the underarmor thing and buy long sleeved work shirts from now on. In the meantime I'll still be looking for another job. The place where I work now is going bankrupt so my job is going to get outsourced at some point anyway.
I learned a long time ago when it comes to work, it's better to run to something than from something. Texas is a right to work state, but unless you get terminated for job performance, insubordination (which would apply if I didn't conform to the new policy) or job abandonment, you can collect unemployment.
I'd rather just wait it out and give notice when I find another job.

 

[igloo]

I work in Texas and it is a RTWS . Any way I was told I had to wear shirts with collars as my 45.00 dress tshirts just were not good enough .I pleaded my case that it is 90/90 outside in Houston all summer long to no avail . Do you know the differance between pants ,slacks and trousers . Pants cost 30 bucks ,slacks cost about 60 bucks and trousers cost over a 100 and have to be dry cleaned . All this comes from a man who looks like the best store he has ever been too was JC Penny ,cheap shoes ,cheap shirts and a even cheaper watch . :crazy:

 

[morton]

Good luck, Baron! Talented hardworking people, with or without ink, will always find a way. Play by their rules until you don't have to anymore.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

Being what the economy it is today and having multiple tat's my self...i would do what it took to keep my job unless I had something lined up or I could afford not to work...Which I can't afford to do...
Lucky you didn't go this route!!

 

[mluyckx]

I'd rather just wait it out and give notice when I find another job.

Wise move grasshopper.... wise move. Just gives you all the more reason to have a nice bowl to relax more often ::

 

[simnettpratt]

Being unemployed is even less fun than wearing long sleeves in the heat. Agree with stick it out until you find another job or get outsourced
Good luck man!

 

[lonestar]

That sucks all around dude. A few things I can add; My wifes employer went through a similar financial meltdown/ management changeup/ generally all things evil nazification period. No visible tattoos was also a mantra of their evil new leaders. That lasted for about 6 months before it started falling to the wayside and eventually they forgot all about the rule.

As for unemployment, I'm not entirely sure if you would qualify. I do know a few things about how the system works in Texas. First of all, they dont judge a case based on any type of reason. They dont make a decision based on the facts of a case, except so far as the facts relate to "Precedent" cases in a big book they consult. In other words, they may see the facts as "Employee conformed to previous rules of employment, but when the rules were changed the employee was no longer able to conform to policy and was terminated". They would then open the big book of "Precedent" and look for a case with those same facts. Whatever the ruling was for the precedent case that matches your case, that is what your ruling will be.

I believe you can request a copy of the Precedent cases from Texas Workforce Commission and do your own research, but an unemployment lawyer could probably answer the question for you. FWIW I would NEVER apply for unemployment without a lawyer. There are too many angles in the system and it all works off its own logic, which has little or nothing to do with making sense.

 

[baronsamedi]

All-around douchery is what's going on now. Rule enforcement has alway been selective there. For instance, during the big "We're bankrupt, but try not to worry" meeting yesterday, whe Director of Nursing was wearing flip-flops! And the hospital Administrator said nothing! Some people get written up but the writ-ups never make it to their employment file and sone people get terminated for cause without having ever been in trouble. I've never been written up or even had a verbal in 3 years, but that means nothing right now.
I've been through it before with other companies that have re-structured. I'm just going to ride the storm out and try to be the better man.
On the bright side, I'm not 100% screwed. There is a funeral home that can give me on-call work. It's not enough money to quit for, but it could keep me in a little income to make my bills if I get canned. One good thing about holding a license in a trade. If that happens I'll be back in a suit with a new haircut so the tats won't even be an issue.

 

[baronsamedi]

I thank you all for your honest advice. It helps to get an outside opinion when you are at a crossroads. Especially when your head is telling you to do the right thing but your instict is telling you to go in swinging and leave a path of destruction.

 

[baronsamedi]

Here is an update. I looked over at the last e-mail from HR and I decided that since they were being inconsistent about what is or isn't allowed, I was going to ask for some clarification. I sent the HR director an e-mail and copied my director, requesting clarity on what I was supposed to do and asking for dispensation until next pay day to buy some shirts if I needed to cover up.
Here is what I got back:
The expectation remains the same as before until the policy is revised and/or updated (if that happens in the future and it is unclear at this time as to whether it will be revised or not).
It will not be necessary for you to do anything differently than you are already doing at this time.
The confusion regarding the policy stemmed from an HR call I was on asking all managers to ensure that their employees look professional at all times and are adhering to the dress code policy. At that time, tattoos were mentioned (amongst other things) and that their is a possibility in the future that the policy may change to reflect new standards. This information was then communicated to the managers.
In summary, I would like to clarify that the existing dress code policy will remain in effect until we are otherwise instructed.
I just saved both myself and my director at least a few months of sweating our asses off! It was a bit of a risk, but I just can't sit and take bullshit like that. Hopefully I'll be off this sinking ship by the time it comes up again.

 

[philip]

Hopefully I'll be off this sinking ship by the time it comes up again.

Hopefully long before it comes up again they will realize that you have a positive attitude and do good work regardless of tattoos.

 

[baronsamedi]

It's been 3 years, but there's always hope!

 

[pipeinhand]

You did the right thing by asking for a clear explanation. Now, they have to issue a mandate changing the rule and give you time to change your work gear as you requested, and as others have said, they do not need a reason to fire you, they just can, so staying low would help you. I am not saying buckle under, but don't become a red flag either. Chris has the right idea if it comes to cover up. If you need the money or benefits, stay and cover, if not, flip em the bird; you came looking for a job, and you will leave looking. Hope it works out.

 

[baronsamedi]

As I mentioned before, I don't have a problem covering up. I just refuse to be singled out and bullied. There are people in other departments, mostly females, who have tattoos on their feet and ankles who like to wear their heels to work. Now that they know it is going to have to be policy and what counts for one counts for all.
That said, I'm not going to make further issue of it because like pipeinhand said, any changes will be at a policy level and they will have to give everyone time to comply. Problem solved in my book.
Sure, they can fire me for any reason, but I've never had one single disciplinary or performance issue so I can go with a clear conscience.

 

[baronsamedi]

Yet another update:
I guess sometime between 10:00pm last night and this morning the shit hit the fan. All the department heads were called into the office this morning and basically told that their people will cover up any visible tattoos. I'm going to get the same speech this evening, though I'm not supposed to know aboout it yet. Of course some people are mad at me for rocking the boat. At least if they are going to be a-holes, they have to be consistent about it. The cool thing is now they can't rewrite the chain of events and say I was insubordinate, because I have it in writing that I wasn't supposed to change anything and my e-mail states that all I wanted to know was if there was a new policy and what I should do if there was. I was never disrespectful or confrontational, just politely requestin ginformation.

 

[sparroa]

I think you did the right thing, man.
It isn't right for you to be singled out.
I think it is sad and rather ridiculous that we are still stuck with this "professional" appearance BS in this day and age.
People might blame you for asking for clarification but I think it that's off base...
I don't have any tattoos because I don't think they are a great fit for me, but I think it is outrageous that someone could be dismissed for that reason alone... It is a complicated situation for sure since employers have their own set of rights, but it is sad that it has to be so oppressive.
I think your colleagues should suck it up - the rules should be applied evenly or not at all.

 

[dochudson]

I didn't catch the part where you were being singled out.. are you the only maint guy with tattoos? I worked 23 years for a group of 8 major hospitals and trust me the directors of nursing can do whatever they please. the big shot ceo's, cfo's, whatever.. may think they are running the show but if a director of nursing says jump they ask how high. if all is not running smoothly with the nursing staff then the doctors get pissed cause it cost them

time. pissed off doc's who almost always back the nurses ain't no way to run a hospital for long. the only time the big shots in IT would get the deer in the headlight stare is when they were summons to meet with the director of nursing and some of her top people (all women) it was never to tell them what a great job they were doing it was to tell them how slow the computers were, how worthless all the wireless stuff was, etc..

 

[baronsamedi]

Well I found out after my little talk with my director today that unbeknownst to me (but not entirely unexpected) the HR Lady had been copying Corporate on everything in our conversation. It didn't go as she planned (me getting in trouble). Instead she got an angry email from corporate wondering why there are employees and leadership who have been working here for years and do not know to cover up their ink. They also wanted to know why she sent me an email telling me to continue working without covering up. Essentially she exposed her own ignorance of the policy in question as well as the ineffectiveness of the leadership here. Not a good thing when the new sheriff is cleaning house. This was why they hustled everyone into the office and laid down the law today.
My talk with my director went fine but I will be showing up next week in a long sleeved work shirt. At least if I get sent to the unemployment line, I'll have my HR director to keep me company.

 

[kabong30]

HAHA! That's priceless, I love when that kind of stuff blows up in people's faces. It's one of these: