How do you prove discrimination based on age, race, and hairstyle?

Question

I have dreds and my daughter , who was an Assistant Manager for a major sports chain told me that during her training in regards to the company's hiring practices, she was told she could accept applications from, but could not hire anyone with dreds, a mohawk, or visible facial piercings. I haven't been able to secure a job for over a year now, even though I have a work history that is more than 20 years old in various fields, and I am wondering if this kind of hair hiring policy is across the board. What do you think?

I have read all of the answers so far and would like to respond to a few. To those who felt I should cut my hair or change my"doo"....I have been growing my hair for fifteen years so NO WAY am I going to do that! Besides, my hair doesn't have anything to do with my job skills. The way I wear my hair is part of my ethnicity and as such should be protected under the law. I feel the same way about my hair that Muslim women feel about being allowed to wear their traditional clothing to job interviews.

I have read all of the answers so far and would like to respond to a few. To those who felt I should cut my hair or change my"doo"....I have been growing my hair for fifteen years so NO WAY am I going to do that! Besides, my hair doesn't have anything to do with my job skills. The way I wear my hair is part of my ethnicity and as such should be protected under the law. I feel the same way about my hair that Muslim women feel about being allowed to wear their traditional clothing to job interviews.

Answer 1

no one can discriminate against anyone because of the way they look there age ther ethnic background or there hanicap

Answer 2

Hair style does not fall under discrimination. Employers have a right to set dress code policies within their company. Dreds, mohawks and piercings are not within the perimeters set forth in the Company's dress code policy and they have every right not to hire you. There are many other companies that will hire you though...I've seen lots of piercings at Hot Topics and some trendy food establishments. If you want to be taken seriously you may need to change your doo!

Answer 3

i can understand the piercings and mohawk, but discriminating dreds is kind of ridiculous. i remember seeing something on the news once about a postal worker who was denied a promotion or something like that because she had dreds. if they're going to deny work to people with dreds, then they need to not hire people with mullets, shaved heads, afros, perms, or braids. dreds are pretty common and traditional hair dos for some folks, so i don't see why it matters. i think it's kind of racist.

Answer 4

Hairstyle is NOT a protected class for discrimination purposes. Employers can reject an applicant for their hairstyle and/or other physical characteristics til the cows come home as long as it is not due to a protected class (race, age, ethnicity, sex, disability).

Answer 5

Although discrimination of age and race is illegal there is no law based on hairstyle. We don't need one either. The law shouldn't get into things that you can change. It is a clear policy in that place, you can change your hairstyle and they would be more willing to hire you. It is rather hard to prove age discrimination, and hard to prove race but that would be easier.

Answer 6

The general stereotype is that anyone with facial piercings, a mohawk, or dreds is an idiot. Not to mention offensive to customers.

Is it true? Who knows. On average, I would say so.

Answer 7

They have a right to set a dress code and include hair and piercings in it. Clean up the look, lose the jewelry and join the grown up work world.

Answer 8

So if I show up in my Hitler helmet, they can't be offended? Lose the dreds honey, look in the mirror, you'll see what the problem is!

Answer 9

It's a clear case of priorities. What's more important to you.....your hair, or employment? You don't need me to tell you what you need to do.