Tattoos and work

Nope, I work in a very laid back place, however, if I would not be hired due to my art, I would not want to work there in the first place....people need to learn to not judge so quickly....

Is this legal? Yes.
has anyone been in this situation? Yes.
how did you handle it? Cover them up.

If they hire you already with tats, you still have to comply with the company dress-code policy. In my company, tats must be covered with clothing, band aid, whatever works.

Wow...didn't realize there were still places out there that are so uptight!

Most professional environments do not allow visible tattoos.

I used to have this issue when I worked in sales I had a Tattoo on my foot and because I wore ballet type pumps to work I used to have to cover it with a bandage or a plaster.
The place I work now are pretty laid back however and they are ok with tattoo's.

I have had problems before and it's horrible that people judge because of them.
I wouldn't want to work for someone that judges me by what's on my skin and not by how I work, if you're good at the job then what's the problem. As long as they are not offensive works then it shouldn't be a problem.

There are plenty of places that are still really uptight about tattoos. I'd check to make sure they aren't against company policy, but if they let someone go because of them, it probably is. I've worked at places where I was forced to wear skirts or dresses, no pants, and that included panty hose (torture when you live in the desert Southwest!). Another place where we couldn't wear ANY jewelry with the exception of wedding rings. Another where men weren't allowed any facial hair. Companies can certainly dictate how their employees look and dress, and they do. It's up to you to decide if the job is worth conforming to their rules.

If you can cover yours up, I'd still ask during the interview if they have a policy against them being visible. Better to be upfront about having them and then clearly stating that you'll be more than willing to make sure they're covered when you're on the job.

My son (21) got a tattoo last year and my husband and I were sure to make him realize he didn't want one where it could be seen if he were in short sleeves. He can decide later if he wants them in places more visible, but at his age, he's better off not limiting himself because of his body art.

I work within the court system and I'm pretty heavily tattooed. The only time I cover them is if I am in the courtroom. In my own office it's not a big deal. Even when I deal with the general public it doesn't seem to offend anyone. I work in a criminal courthouse so in a way I think some of the clients are more apt to be open with me and see me as an equal.

It's still relatively uncommon to see a woman heavily tattooed though and I get some strange looks from time to time, but mostly I get good humoured questions and often enough people ask me if they can touch them.

Your tattoos are a choice that you make. Where you work is also a choice that you make. If you don't like the results that come from your choices that is your fault and nobody elses.

It's that simple.

If they hire you knowing you have tattoos, they cannot legally fire you for them. If you hid them while interviewing and tattoos are against company policy, they can let you go.

Wow...didn't realize there were still places out there that are so uptight!

I work in DC, welcome to the land of picky.

And, it's their right. Tattoos don't look professional to most of the working world. I have a tattoo, I got it some place where it wouldn't show at work.

You chose to get the tattoos; your mother and everyone else in the world probably told you you'll never get hired anywhere because of them. Suck it up and apply somewhere else, lots of tech places/mechanic shops/intranet/website kinds of places are beyond laid back and chill about tattoos/dress code.

I work in a very conservative environment with clients from all over the world. No visible tattoos ever. A large back tattoo will be my reward when I lose the weight but no one needs to know about it except me and probably my husband as he's usually pretty observant.

:laugh: I hope he wouldn't miss that....

I guess from a legal standpoint, it depends where you live in the world. technically in the UK its illegal for an employer to discriminate on various grounds, age, sex, race, religious views and so on, it does not implicitly cover tattoos and body mods, although an employer would never tell you they are not hiring you becasue of them, and open themselves up to potential litigation (its a headache whether its valid or not!)

I am in the UK, I have the top part of my back covered in a large tattoo piece, I can, and have shown it off at work, No one has ever pulled me up about it - I work for the Police. More specificaly, I work within Forensics, for the most part, i do tend to keep it covered up, but i refuse to wear huge tops if the sun is beating down - i'll wear what everyone else does.

I think in a way because im well liked, known as a bit of a nutter and they see me as their own little bonkers Abby Scuito from NCIS that i get away with it!!

I say, if you want one, get one, and roll your eyes at anyone who comes out with that age old boring line of "but what happens when you get old and wrinkly?!" Answer: i'll be old, wrinkly and tattooed! :bigsmile:

As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.

Well that's intense.

Our world isn't quite as laid back as some of us wish it to be. I am tattooed. I'm a legal assistant and I have a tattoo on my neck and on my foot, quite visable. I haven't had any complaints just yet but I do my best to cover them up majority of the time. If someone were to approach me about it, I would definitely make more of an effort to hide them. Work isn't exactly the place to "be yourself" so to speak - you're there to work. If you have a job where you can truly be yourself, cherish it. There's not a lot of places like that out there.

Us alternative folk just need to accept that the world isn't always going to be as accepting and non-judgemental as our generation. Just give it another few decades.