'Hide your tats, customers won't put up with it'

britboy4321

britboy4321

britboy4321

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One of my mates has worked as a garage mechanic for years.



Just got a new job with Porsche. He has tats all up his arms which they saw at interview and said nothing. Now he has started they have said that whatever the weather, no matter how sunny, no matter how close he is to fast moving equipment etc, he can't simply roll his sleeves up, and has to wear a thick cotton shirt (not white) so the tats can't be seen through it (so hot, bulky etc).

Everyone else can roll up their sleeves and wear white thin shirts when they're boiling ... He can't. They mentioned nothing at the interview.

They are now saying 'It's not us. The customer's can see into the garage and don't feel comfortable leaving their £80,000 car to someone with tattoes everywhere.'


Grounds for complaint? Or fair enough?
 
Now I have no idea, so take with a bucket of salt. But I would have thought if they didn't say anything and it's not in the contract then you have a case. However they can change policies if they want and annoying a new employee is hardly ever worth it. IMO only worth it if your long term career is threatened.
 
Fair enough I say - Unfortunatly, it's a stigma that is still attached to people with tattoos...

By the way - I thought you mean't that other sort of tats... Lol was not had :(
 
If it's not in his contract of employment he could complain. Given that he hasn't worked for them for long they can amend it to be a clause within his contract or simply fire him. Is it worth complaining?
 
Yes. I work with lawyers who specialise in employment law and this is exactly the sort of case we see in court.
 
I guess it is discrimination, if he is bothered he should talk to CAB maybe and then speak to a specialist employment lawyer. Not a fan of tattoos personally, but unless he's wearing something offensive like Swastikas then I think the employer is just being an arse. I don't think it's acceptable to be treated this way.
 
Marky said:
Lol what?! People actually win these cases?
Click to expand...

I said I see them in court, I don't know about winning them. It all depends on if it was previously discussed during and before the employment process, just like anything which can be cause for discrimination. I'd say it's worth a shot.
 
I have all sorts of mixed feelings on this one...

If they didn't bring it up at the interview and it's not mentioned in the contract/employee handbook/etc, then they don't really have a leg to stand on, do they?

Now, while I have absolutely nothing against tats, it's pretty obvious that there IS a certain stigma attached to them. Your mate knew this and knew the risks - so he can't be too surprised, especially when getting a job with a luxury car dealer, that this might happen.

I dunno.....he's got a job dicking about with Porschers all day....I say he should roll down his sleeves and get on with it! (see what I did there? Huh? Huh?)
 
In most of them cases I can imagine it was because in the interview the employer says something like "Them tattoos are totally fine". And then saying "Actually, pull your sleeves down, we don't want to see them anymore or you're fired".

And even in that case, the employee would need to prove that the employee definitely said in the interview that the tattoos were fine.
 
While I don't think he's got a case, what a ridiculous stand by the garage. You'd be hard pushed to find any garage round here where there aren't tattoos on show in this weather (yes, I know we're talking Porsche here, but still ridiculous).

And if someone is a big enough **** to not use a garage just because someone has got tattoos then good riddance I'd say.

edit - this is assuming the tattoos don't read "BMW Forever" and "Death to Porsche drivers" of course.
 
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