Tattoos in the workplace...?

I was an art teacher for four years and I had a wonderful intern who had beautiful tattoos. I always thought it was a shame that she couldn't let them show since they are art after all, but it was a conservative school district. She had them strategically placed on her shoulders so that she could cover them with a blouse easily. She was a lot better at teaching than the non-tattooed intern that the school district ultimately hired to take my place. They said they hired her over my intern because she looked "classy." I pitched a fit about it but ultimately it wasn't my decision.

Qualification is debatable. Since most people need a job these days, you could be interviewing the same day as a perceived clean-cut, well dressed person who has pretty much the exact same credentials as you. Guess who is hired?

Discrimination in this instance would be rather hard to prove--and costly. The manger could say Mr. clean cut had a more friendly personality, or seemed more detailed orientated, or had a better grasp of customer service……

In my office (Domestic Sales) it’s office dress clothes. Some do have ankle or foot tattoos, and I’ve seen one writst tat (she hated it and wished she didn’t get it). A friend just got a full sleeve and always keeps it covered. I think the small tattoos are overlooked if they are more discreetly placed and covered (how many people stare at your feet?) And once someone is hired and past the probationary period and is doing a good job, discreet tats seem to be overlooked even if they happen to peak out beneath a short shirt sleeve on Casusal Friday.

My own tattoo is covered as it’s over my belly button and I’m not one for wearing middy tops these days….. planing for another one somewhere on my torso, I think.
I took my nose ring out 15 years ago--just tired of it I guess. Now it looks like a pore

I see no problem, with it. A tattoo or 50 of them has nothing to do with the persons ability to do the job or their work ethic.

I hid my foot tat for about a year when I first started. When I learned that the Manager had three and rocked em from time to time, I eased up and started showing it in the Spring/Summer. I was in the Chief's office one day and she commented on it; said she never knew I had it (even though I had been showing it for months). It didn't seem to phase her and she already knew I was capable of getting the job done. It just depends on where you work.

The funny thing is . . . the crappiest job I ever had had the most lenient dress code. All my tattoos were visible, all my piercings . . . I even dyed my hair crazy colors and nobody cared.

Then I got a "real" job and suddenly they cared. In fact, my ex-boss managed to almost get me fired over my nose ring. Really?

Like my mom says, corporate offices are often still run by rich old conservative white guys who don't understand and/or dislike body modifications.

Hopefully I will find a job that I love that lets me show off my art. I'm still waiting!

I knew when getting my sleeve done that covering it up was something I would have to deal with as a working professional. While tattoos don’t effect a person’s ability to perform their job, companies want their employees to be an extension of their brand and many feel tattoos can have a negative impact. Having a dress code that includes ‘no visible tattoos’ is completely within their right. I now work in the nursing field and let me tell you, I’m not the only one with tattoos. I'm not 'judged' for having them just asked to keep them covered up. I found a great company online that sells products to cover tattoos, they even have Pink sleeves that work well with my scrubs. If you need to cover your tattoos, they might have something that works for you too. www.tat2x.com