Strange Question During My Interview

CFC

Companies have the right to make any policies they want - it sounds like it is their company policy not to permit piercings. On occasion you get someone turning up who has taken their bars out for interview, then turns up to work with them in and says, but I had piercings when I was interviewed...and then it becomes more difficult.

Just because a culture may often involve pierced jewellery as a fashion does not mean an employer is discriminating. There is a difference between culture and religion, and piercings are not mandatory as far as I am aware in either the Muslim faith or the Hindu faith.

Savvy_Sue

I was going to say that if there is a 'no piercings' policy, then you should say that and ask if it's a problem. But then thinking about it, I suppose it makes more sense to ask someone if they have piercings rather than say "Company X has a no piercings rule, do you have a problem with that?" Because there have been cases where a company has a no smoking rule, and they've been able to sack a smoker, even though that person NEVER smoked while at work (not even in lunch or tea breaks!)

I did work with one lady who admitted she was piercist, and would never willingly employ anyone with a facial piercing. She didn't even like pierced ears. Her prejudices were never tested in the interview setting, fortunately!

Germeze

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. The job was only a temporary data entry role with no telephone or direct customer contact.

If anything, the question has lead to a good debate

Turning_into_scrooge

viktory wrote:

Exactly what I was going to ask.

I think they mean discrimination