Help - Is this discrimation ?

mumps

I don't understand about being a Muslim and having a beard, my late brother in law was a devout Muslim and was clean shaven. Was he missing something about his religion. I know Sikh's can't shave or cut their hair but never heard that about Muslims, although I know lots of fundamentalist Muslims have beards.

thorsoak

If the OP's son has been working at the store for two years and is now 17, it is possible that when he started, he had barely started to have what has been affectionately known as "bum fluff". Only now, as an older teenager, does the problem show itself.

FTIW, in your place, I would encourage him to shave and keep the job and look for another - where designer stubble might be allowed.

Person_one

mumps wrote: »

I don't understand about being a Muslim and having a beard, my late brother in law was a devout Muslim and was clean shaven. Was he missing something about his religion. I know Sikh's can't shave or cut their hair but never heard that about Muslims, although I know lots of fundamentalist Muslims have beards.

Not all Muslim men have them, some consider it optional, some obligatory. Of course as with any religion there are varying degrees of devoutness amongst followers. There are Muslims who drink alcohol and shave, Muslims who gamble, Muslims who won't touch a member of the opposite sex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beard#Islam

mumps

Person_one wrote: »

Not all Muslim men have them, some consider it optional, some obligatory. Of course as with any religion there are varying degrees of devoutness amongst followers. There are Muslims who drink alcohol and shave, Muslims who gamble, Muslims who won't touch a member of the opposite sex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beard#Islam

He was devout, no drinking, gambling, no interest earned on savings or paid for a mortgage, no eating pork, kept the fast etc but he never grew a beard. I remember him saying that his father would have considered it an insult if his son grew a beard while he was alive as it would be setting himself up as the head of the family.

dickydonkin

The fact is that the company has a policy that does not allow stubble and that is the real issue here.

Has this 'fact' been established?

Dark_Jester

Simple question; does your son value the "bum fluff" on his face or money in his pocket to help fund his studies to a future better life?

Does the bum fluff on your sons face have any sentimental meaning? For example, is he growing in memory of a lost loved one, a promise he made to a parted lover, does it have any religous meaning?

In short, its blum fluff!!! JAYSUS!!! I'm sure your son can get a job some where else but his got a good student job now and don't make him lose it over some insignificant !!!! fluff!!!

Fly_Baby

annaabc wrote: »

Well as his mother I think it is well kept stubble and that my son is quite gorgeous and is wasting his time stacking shelves and
can`t wait for him to be discovered:D

Seriously, he really is`nt being arsey about the whole thing and really is respectful about the situation but it has created such bad feelings, especially when his work mates had chosen to leave over this situation. He is good worker and he has always had the `stubble` since working there, even when first interviewed - which never stopped him getting the job`.

Beard, Muslim - OK
Stubble - just your run of the mill bloke - trying to do a job - not OK

It all seems disjointed to me. I have told him to speak to his store manager, but he hasn`t really got the confidence and will proably just leave

I cannot believe what I am reading here.

A workmate has left over a request to come to work clean-shaven - well, he isn't willing to make an effort to hold down a good job! Is he going to be unemployed for God knows how long and complain that there are no good jobs around "in this climate" - after he let go of a perfectly good one because he is young and stubborn?

Is your son going to do the same? Are you, as his mother and a sensible grown-up, going to advocate this, instead of talking some sense into him?

I do agree with the previous posters that stubble is a sign if unkempt appearance - and I woud fully support this supermarket's policy.

Sorry to be blunt.

dickydonkin

and I woud fully support this supermarket's policy.

So would I - if one actually exists!

Fly_Baby

dpassmore wrote: »

So would I - if one actually exists!

Well, I am female and if I worked in a supermarket and my manager asked me to wear my hair in a ponytail instead of leaving them loose or to avoid bright lipstick in order to maintain a well-presented image of the store personnel - I would not think of demanding to see a company policy and would just do what I am asked.

Maybe I am just a person that takes her jobs seriously.

Steel_2

I think your son is being incredibly silly and needs to grow up. He's not growing a beard. He just can't be bothered to shave everyday like most boys of his age. It's not a religious issue. It's a lazy issue. Stubble looks scruffy and dirty.

There are people out there who have been struggling to find work for months if not years. Some unemployed men would be willing to not only shave their face every day if required, but probably strip naked and run down the street too. My only hope is that the job of his galactically moronic co-worker, who left over a mm or two of facial fluff, will be given to someone more deserving.

Your son needs to suck it up, shave every day like millions of men do and stop being a twit bleating on about discrimination. He's being stubborn and silly, and it will cost him his job.