new thread
Hi All,
I have been a lurker for a good while now. But now I have something which might be of a interest to the board.
I have worked for a local private investigator now for just amonth shy of a year. I worked for him as a security guard. When I was hired back in Oct 96, I had longhair then. Nothing was said about it. Now about 4 ½ weeks ago, a company memo arrived in my paycheck envelope stating our new company dress code. Of corse, the longest part of the dress code was addressing men with longhair.
Now to give y'all some other details. When I started, I always left my hair down. Nothing was said untill a month ago. When I started to hearthe comments behind my back, about the boss being unhappy about my hair....I started to tuck all my hair under my company hat.
Well, last night at work....about a half hour after my shift started, my boss just suddenly pops in for a social visit. But he didn't leave untill we had a little chat. He informed me that I MUST get my hair cut off. He said it is unfair to the other employees (keep in mind I was the ONLY longhair there). I asked him if tucking myhair under my hat was good enough, he said "no". Now , with my hair tucked under my hat, there was actually LESS hair showing than with people with short hair. I can't figure that one out :-)
Needless to say, I told him the for a guy to cut his longhair isn't an easy choice and that I would get back to him.
Well, my last day at the job is Friday morning, and that is when I resign. I thought about it for 5 mins and I thought "Life is too short to have people tell you how to dress, how to wear your hair...etc". Now, if we were talking about a job that paid like $30,000 a year and full benefits, I'd reconsier. But for a measly $6 and hour job without ANY benefits.....I will not cut my hair.
One thing aginst me here, I live in the most economically (sp) depressed area of Maryland. Jobs are VERY hard to find. I guess I'll be heading to the unemployment office soon.
I am going to have a picture taken of me tonight at work by my co-worker of me wearing my co hat with my hair tucked up. Just for reference purposes. I have consulted our local Police Officer (I went to high school with him) and he said something is fishy there, and I might has a gender discrimination case. I dunno ?
Anyhow.......I just wanted to let y'all know that it happened. I had to choose between either my job or longhair. Well.........I am unemployed now :-)
Oh well........
Sorry to wate board space and time :-)
Matt
AKA- hairdude
Matt- I don't think you wasted space. I'm glad you told us all you story. It just does not seem fair that people can get fired because of long hair. You would think that in the last 30 years people would lighten up a bit. I know its hard to lose a job but we also have to stand up for our rights even if it is minimum wage job or a 50,000.00 job. My job that I have now I asked right out if they were bothered by long hair. The answer was no but I wish I had that in writing. Anyway I'm glad you stood your ground and it's their loss.
Matt (and others)...
I'm glad to see you stood up for what you believe in. When I was first letting my hair grow, I got 3" cut off for a job interview. The interview was a disaster...in part because of the unprofessional attitude of the interviewer...but in part because I was totally unprepared for the emotional trauma I would suffer for having lost that 3" start!
I write computer manuals and do all the illustration for my company, and I'm glad to say that they value ability to produce more than conforming to outdated fashions. Otherwise, it would be a lose-lose situation.
Randy