Dress code (Part I)

Dress codes are a challenging beast. Part religion, part cultural heritage, part self-expression…I will not get into all of the different kinds of dress codes out there, nor will I pretend to be part of a culture that has any kind of special interest in traditional garb. However, I DO think it is a reasonable statement that every culture and religion is going to understand that there are certain aspects of health and safety that transcend a personal attire preference.

And, frankly, if you don’t agree with that, I don’t especially care. This is my blog and I get to make statements like “it’s a reasonable statement that…” and you don’t. I welcome your angry comments that I get to delete if I so choose.

Schools have a particular dress code for [blogger’s prerogative!] obvious reasons. Food service also has a particular dress code. Again, for obvious reasons. Combine the two, and you get a dress code for school food service workers.

[Sidenote: I’m pretty sure that was the transitive property in high school algebra. Or was it the reflexive property?... On a completely unrelated note: Math sure is great, isn't it?]

Anyway, for those of you who haven’t already guessed the point of this particular blog post, let’s focus on one specific example of Someone Who Doesn’t Understand Dress Codes. Let us further set the stage at one particular school district with a particular food service dress code that involves some particular variation on black pants and whatever uniform shirt the school provides. Most important for this particular post, what NOT to wear: no fake nails/fake eyelashes/facial piercings/outlandish hairdos that cannot be covered by proper food service hairnets/hats. Pretty straightforward.

Now, let’s pause here and consider why we have to make a point to let people know you cannot wear fake nails/eyelashes/facial piercings/etc. Simple: those items are food safety hazards. Said another way: you could lose it in the food. Will it happen? Probably not. Do we want to take the chance that it could happen? Absolutely not. Obviously. If you are working around food, there are safety standards that need to be met. If you've never worked around food…congratulations, now you know.

When we are discussing a school food service position with an applicant, we make it clear that they are not allowed to wear fake nails/eyelashes/facial piercings/etc. When they are hired and scheduled for orientation, we make it clear that they are not allowed to wear fake nails/eyelashes/facial piercings/etc. During orientation and again when you start your first day in the kitchen, we make it clear that you are not allowed to wear fake nails/eyelashes/facial piercings/etc. Four times. Dress code gets covered four times before you even start doing anything with food. Four times.

If, somehow, you manage to miss all four times the dress code is reviewed, you're an idiot.

Moving along. One of the kitchen supervisors asked us to speak to a recently-hired contractor who was not following the dress code and refused to remove her fake eyelashes and nose ring. They asked us to counsel the woman on proper dress code before she returned the following day for work. If she refused to follow the dress code, they would be ending the assignment, and she would not be able to return. Nothing out of the ordinary with that. You can't follow the rules (especially rules around food preparation/serving), then you are dismissed. Can’t follow the rules in basketball? You get fouls and the other team gets two points. Reach five and you are benched and cannot play the rest of the game. Better figure out the rules before the next game, or you won't be playing that, either.

Naturally, the employee in question was adamant that nobody talked to her about dress code requirements. Sure, lady. Or you're just trying to play dumb, except we know dumb and take measures to counteract. Like, oh, ensuring the dress code is reviewed four times before you start working.

Eventually, she gave up on the lack-of-forewarned argument and switched tactics to discrimination.

“You can't do that!” (via indignant squawk).

Well, unfortunately for her, we can. Fake eyelashes and nose piercings are not a protected class under the EEOC's Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (If you don't know it, look it up. I'm not going there today.)

Long story short, she refused to take off her fake lashes and nose piercing, so her assignment was ended, and she was not allowed to return to that job. She can go find another place that doesn't care if she wears fake lashes and nose rings, but food service probably isn't a good option for her. Maybe retail? She'll need to make sure she brushes up on whatever the dress code is at her next job, or she'll probably end up getting fired from that place, too, when she decides to ignore the information presented to her and not follow the rules. Dress code. Follow it. It's there for a reason.

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Postscript: No, really. Why would you go so far as to get fired from your job simply because you refuse to take off your fake lashes and take out your nose ring for the four to six hours of your part-time job? Seriously, people? Is your self-image/confidence that incredibly low that you just absolutely cannot fathom people seeing you without your fake lashes or nose ring?

Sincerely, Confused