Ashley Gay English 112-4244 Mr. Neagle April 17, 2018 Tattoos Need to be Protected Have you ever been turned down for a job because you have tattoos? I have a family member that has twenty-four tattoos and currently has a job that he has worked hard to obtain. He keeps his tattoos covered when working allowing him to remain on a professional level and still have the ability to express himself in his free time. Although tattoos should be allowed in the workplace they may be considered unprofessional and inappropriate in both image and language. On the other hand, tattoos are personal and should not affect the person’s career choice. If we accept the growing number of tattoos, cases that discriminate against those who have tattoos and healthcare jobs being affected the most by people who have tattoos. Then we should accept that it is necessary for people with tattoos to be protected by the federal government with discrimination laws in place. Over time the amount of people getting tattoos has grown significantly. Anna Sanford states “Tattoos are more popular than ever in the United States with the industry growing 13 percent annually between 2011to 2016 and acquiring an unprecedented $1 billion in revenue last year.” This …show more content…
It is necessary to have a policy put in place to protect the employees that have visible tattoos in the workplace. It is necessary to have this policy in place because tattoos are increasing over time, have had several incidents where people have been discriminated against for their tattoos in the workplace and the medical field has been affected the most with having more visible tattoos. As long as the person is suited for the job and has the necessary skills to complete the job the tattoos they have should not matter whether they are visible or not. Everyone needs to be given a fair chance to do the job that they have worked hard to obtain and desire to
Most companies’ customer services’ employers cannot have a visible tattoo. Many believe it is not a professional appearance for their employers. A recent study showed that 31 percent of the employers did not get a promotion due to having a visible tattoo. An ultimatum is made by the employees; either they wear long-sleeve to cover their tattoos on their arm or get the tattoos removed. Tattoo
To begin, Leanne Padowski has personal experience with this area. According to the article, "Our company's policy states that anyone who works in customer service cannot have a visible tattoo." Ms. Padowski deals first hand with the restrictions of visible tattoos, and therefore, this is a credible piece of evidence to support her argument. Mr. Johnson, on the other hand, is bias since
Tattoos have been around for quite some time now, and they have always been a symbol of belonging, cultural expression or for religion. These days, individuals choose to tattoo themselves because it is part of their lifestyle or personal image. While continuing to grow in popularity and becoming a lifestyle, people are facing issues with having visible tattoos in the workforce. Although it is a form of free expression, employers have a right to enforce certain rules about tattoos in their company because they have a public image to uphold. How you present yourself to the public is solely important, which is why tattoos should not be allowed to be seen in the workplace, since it may appear offensive or unconservative.
A large number of businesses do not allow tattoos that are visible. Many also prohibit piercings, other than single earrings on women. Some industries even take their policies to the extreme of not allowing any tattoos that take up more than 25% of a body part, and if a pre-existing tattoo is too large or obscene, it must be removed (Powers). This even applies if a uniform can easily cover the tattooed area.
it’s not always just a body modification, it is sometimes more than that. For military families or those with deceased relatives, tattoos are placed on a person’s body as a remembrance or honor to their loved ones. It’s a permanent tombstone the person carries on their body. Employers should not discriminate against something that has such a deep meaning behind what is easily seen on the outside. Employees shouldn’t be forced to cover up something they truly desire and cherish on their
People who have tattoos or piercings should not be denied jobs. For an example, the persons tattoos or piercings may define their characteristics or personality. A person may have a tattoo sleeves that symbolizes a band, a family member or an object that they like. Piercings however can be all over a person’s body and they might like the placements of their piercings. At this point, discussions between the customers and employees on tattoos and piercings are being made. These discussions can range between “Why did the person decide to get a tattoo or piercing?” or “Does the employee really think they are going to qualify for the job because of those things?” According to Andrea Johnstone and Laurel Buskirk, editors of an article called “Tattoo, body piercings rules can lead to discrimination claim,” the reason why companies have policies that ban tattoos, piercings and other body modification is to maintain a dress code and other appearance requirements (29A). If tattoos define an employee’s characteristics or personality and can be used as a discussion topic between the employee and customers, then people who have tattoos
This leaves possible employers in a situation requiring them to decide whether or not to allow tattoos. More and more employers are seeing past the typical views on tattoos and allowing their employees to
Certain employers especially the careers that want you to dress up nice and wear a suit like people in retail employers won’t hire someone with tattoos. Employers will look for someone that doesn’t have tattoos or very few. People with Tattoos on the face and neck and especially tattoos that are offensive won’t land a good paying job most likely they will get a job at a fast food place or a job that allows visible tattoos. I have two tattoos on my neck I got them done when I was eighteen years old. I thought I wanted to be a bad boy the tattoos I have on my neck are offensive my tattoos say charged and convicted. I got the tattoo done when I got in trouble with the law for the first time. I have had interviews since I got the tattoo I have had the tattoo five years now and every time I go in for an interview I get turned down and then I wonder why I got turned out maybe it’s because of my tattoos and my criminal background that throws a barrier in the
People argue that tattoos should never be shown in a professional setting. Most places of employment even have a dress code that requires you to cover them while working. Employers, in some settings, say that tattoos would or could be offensive or obscene. It was hard to find any article that was against tattoos in the workplace. After a while of searching the internet and databases, I found an article titled “Tattoos in the Workplace: The Research Forbes Was Too Lazy To Do” by Annie Singer. Written on February 26, 2016 and updated February 26, 2017, Singer’s research found that “consumers showed a preference for non-tattooed front-line staff.” She also found that “visible tattoos had a predominantly negative effect on employment selection, driven by the hiring manager’s
“According to a 2010 Pew Research report, about 23% of adults born between 1981 and 1991 have piercings other than their earlobe” (Pfeifer, Web). Also, in 2012, 2 in 10 adults in the United States reported to have at least one tattoo. That number has increased to 3 in 10 adults just last year in 2015 (Shannon-Missal, Web). The prevalence of tattoos and piercings have increased dramatically over the past few decades, especially in teens and young adults known as Generation Y. Although the main reason for getting a tattoo or piercing can vary from person to person, the change in appearance is a way of expressing individuality and to portray your self-image to the public. Some people are hesitant when deciding where to get their tattoo or piercing because of the impact it will have on their appearance and in the workplace. Discrimination against tattoos and piercings in the workplace does exist, especially in white-collar employment, and it can prevent someone from potential employment or even a promotion because tattoos and piercings are considered unprofessional (Foltz, 589). Tattoos and piercings should be acceptable in the workplace because they are a way for people to express themselves and people should not be judged on their appearance, but by the quality of their work.
While tattoos have become more and more acceptable over the years, the question still lies on whether tattoos or any other kind of body modifications in the workplace should be allowed. It's beyond easy to make cases showing the negative impacts of discrimination against tattoos and piercings in the workplace. Plastic surgery, drawing on your eyebrows, getting fake nails, and coloring your hair are also examples of body modifications. Though not everyone agrees with or thinks they’re beautiful, employees are not told to cover up these modifications. Tattoos and piercings are purely another form of beautification and what makes each person their own unique individual. Beauty is personal.
Tattoo discrimination has been going on since the beginning of tattoos over 8,000 years ago. There are countless incidents in history that show a connection between nonconsensual ink and abhorrence. For example, the Nazi’s branded their prisoners, the Romans scarred their slaves, and the Japanese marked their criminals. It’s no wonder tattoos were once linked to prison, delinquency, and war. But times are changing. People are intentionally getting tattoos to document memories and pay tribute to loved ones. Body art has become a form of expression and communication and is a rapidly growing practice. Despite this, tattoos are still strictly limited in a lot of workplaces – including the military – due to
Introduction: Is there anyone here that does not like tattoos or likes them, but would never think of getting one? Today, tattoos are a growing in popularity when before tattoos were only seen on people in a circus as an act or on military veterans who wanted to display their troop proudly. Even though there is this growing popularity of tattoos, entry-level jobs require strict dress code policies disapproving the sight of tattoos while at work.
Percentages of tattoos and piercings in the work force. (Stapaw.com) 42% of adults in America with tattoos. 43% of adults believe tattoos should have meaning. There are over 21,000 tattoo parlors in the U.S. The average cost for a small tattoo is $45. National average cost for tattooing is $100 per hour. There is only 5% of adults with cover up tattoos.(Stapaw.com) The highest amount of tattooed employees is in the military. The second in rant is agriculture for amount of tattoos. (Stapaw.com) "76% of employees feel that tattoos and piercings hurt all your job interview chances." "6% of tattooed people say they wouldn’t hire someone if they had visible ink. On the other hand 73% inked people say they would hire another for having visible ink. There is only 4% tattooed and pierced people that say they have actually faced discrimination in their current job for their visible ink." (Stapaw.com) "States with the highest percentage of tattoo discrimination statistics are South Carolina, Oklahoma and Florida.
However, people should not be denied a career because of the art they have on their bodies. Just because an individual has tattoos does not mean they are unprofessional or unworthy of a high-paying job. Colleges do not deny people an education because they have tattoos. If a person with tattoos has a higher education and a better background than someone without tattoos who is going for the same job, then the person with tattoos should get the job. But due to the nature of businesses, the person with less experience would most likely be the candidate picked based on appearance. In the workplace, when people look at someone that is covered in tattoos they automatically discriminate against this person. It is almost as if they think that image determines their demeanor and professionalism. This person can be the most courteous and professional person in the world, but no one would ever know because this person was not given a chance due to their appearance and the judgment of others.