Piercings in the workplace

Yes it is necessary. The last time I checked, when inside the kitchen the employees should be wearing hair net, proper uniform, no make up, and no piercings. That's the rule for chef school as well. And I don't think they'd bend the rules that they didn't make just to give you the job - these rules are set by the Bureau of Foods something in your country, not the food chain. So pretty much all the Food companies will ask you to take that off. Have a great MyLot experience ahead!

I've never understood why employers make such a big deal out of things like piercings and tattoos. I don't care if a kitchen worker has a septum piercing. I don't care if my SERVER has 3 dozen noticeable piercings. All I care about is that the person being hired can properly do their job. The world has become entirely too based off of looks instead of aptitude.

When I worked in a bakery, the position around wearing piercings was that no studs were allowed, end of, but hoops were allowed in the ears providing they are in both ears, you couldn't have one ear pierced you had to have them both, I think if they saw you with two earings it was ok, but with one, they will think one has got lost in the foodstuff! Same too with studs as it's not one piece, the stud plus the butterfly so I guess that is their thinking, I might be wrong but this was certainly true for me at the bakery.

Certain piercings and jewellery can be a Health and Safety issue and the rules of a particular workplace may simply have to have a blanket ban on all 'adornments' because it would be too complicated and divisive to ban some and not others. It may also be a consideration that, even though you are employed as a kitchen worker, you might be called upon at some time to interact with the public. Many people have an aversion to facial piercings other than ears pierced for earrings and a business may well lose custom if they allowed their staff to wear such piercings. Rules, unfortunately, cannot always take specific situations into account and it is simpler to write them and enforce them if no exceptions are allowed. It is up to the individual company as to what line they take. Larger companies like Applebee's are generally more concerned about 'no exceptions' than smaller ones. It was, at least, human and constructive of the manager to say that he would 'go back over the rule book'. It probably wouldn't be worth his while, however, to make an exception in your case unless he could find a reasonable case for doing so which would not jeopardise his job! No, I don't think that a nose piercing constitutes a significant health and safety risk in a kitchen environment (in fact, I have seen several chefs, some of whom are very good cooks, who wear piercings). The fact that you are already employed in the kitchen of another restaurant shows that there is no real issue but company rules are company rules and there is little point in trying to MAKE an issue when you describe the job, anyway, as 'crappy'!

Generally, you have to be free of extraneous stuff when working in a kitchen. This is both a health and safety issue. Many employers aren't going to be too keen to hire someone with such a piercing--regardless of the position. Visible non-standard piercings often work against you when you are in the working world. Artists, writers, photographers and other creative types can be pretty free in such self-expressions. However, in most fields, people are going to be wary of you due to your piercing. At some point, you may have to consider whether this bit of self-expression is really worth the price you pay.

Upon reading all the arguments presented, even the response of the first responder, I came to realize that there are food bureau's setting standards for cooks, or related job. Add to that the company rules regarding piercings in the workplace. If I'm the owner or manager of a restaurant and would like to hire someone who will work for my food company, I would truly be concerned about how my employees look like wherever they are. In the kitchen or in the toilet.

Whether it's a big deal or not, it's their choice to not allow it in their kitchen. As others have said, it's probably part of a blanket rule, but even if it's not, it's their right to ask you to remove it. To you, the nose ring is more important than the job, to them, it is not.

Well, personally I think it is a matter of choice. There are restaurants out there that have strict conduct and rules, and sometimes it could just be a managers decision as well. But I would not let that stop you. If this is something you refuse to take out, then find places that will accept you for you, and leave the other ones be.

I understand your point when you mentioned girls who wore jewelry, but i think i never did see anyone who does in the kitchen especially in those that we have studied on at about 3 fastfood chains. no jewelries are allowed as accidents may happen. Hairnets should be put on all the time, they had to wash hands every so often as required. my take is that some people might find your nose piercings offensive and yes it is your body - we do acknowledge that is your right but in a workplace where food is involved and you might, sometimes you might just have an encounter with anyone... i think it is quite necessary for them to be firm not to allow you to wear them on your duty.

I personally don't think it's a big deal. I think that the issue you mentioned about it falling out would be the only thing I could think of that might cause concern in a restaurant . Are the waitresses allowed to have facial piercings? If they are you might be able to bring that up to the management and him reconsider.

I don't see a problem with it myself. You see a lot more people with piercings in public roles these days and like you said, you are not even in the public view. I think it is probably a health thing, but I see nothing going wrong there either, just another stupid rule! When I worked in a ski resort in the 90's I had two earrings in my ear, but was only allowed to have one. So each morning, I took the second one out and put it back in at night to stop the hole closing over. I also had long hair and a beard before I worked there which had to be gotten rid of as you had to have short hair and be clean shaven. It was a dream job though, so I was willing to make the sacrifice. I just returned to the same ski resort this year though and saw plenty of long haired guys with facial hair doing the same job that I used to! I was there too early it seems as they have relaxed things these days!

if you say that the piercing is really secure isnt a problem for me. i think that earrings are forbidden cause while cooking it could fall in the food. but a piercing is very well stuck so i dont see it falling so easily. anyway if you really need that job maybe you can take it off just for work. but if you feel bad doing that, find another job that makes you feel happy^^

hi, i dont think so that piercings is not allowed inside of the workplace,but i think it will depend upon the type of the workplace you are working because even long hair people work in the kitchen are usually wearing hairnet so i think even the piercings should take out too.

I do not think there is a problem with piercings at all, for anyone. Body modificaion is a choice, and I stand by this: if some rich smutch. Can get a nose job and be a customer service manager then the chick with the eyebrow hoop should be just as qualified. Both are 'operations that modify the body' so what's the difference. I personally only have one piercing and that's my tongue, but I have one tatoo and am working on 5 more. I cannot stand the "people" that judge by our choices. One of my friends in highschool had, litterlly 5 pounds of metal in her head, all peircings, eyebrow, lips, ears ect ect and she was in the top three of our class, not 3% she was #3 smartest person in school. Won a scholarship to MIT for robotics, completely a free ride. Yet I heard and witnessed people shun her because of her pericings. It made me so mad. After watching her, I went 'freak', and wore my hair in a multicolored mohawk, wore bright neon colored super baggy jeans and heavy metal t shirts, I was ranked #20 in my school and I headed after school volunteer programs that helped both the homeless and elderly, dressed like a freak. I loved it!!!

well such thing must be removed whether in women or men since you are working in restaurant specifically in the kitchen wherein sanitary is necessary to all employees.