Beards and work... .

David333

I've been working as a waiter for the past year in quite a nice restaurant. Just recently they've decided that they want all the waiters to be clean shaven. Now, I have a little 'designer' stubble and really don't want to shave. As long as I'm presentable can they really make me shave...? It's not a question of hygiene by the way (the head chef has a goatee); it really is just their opinion on whether they want facial hair or not. Anyone have any idea of how I deal with this? Apart from by shaving, lol.

I'mcomingbackasaman

No one can make you do anything. You have free will.
If I were you I'd make an ally of the guy with the goatee beard and ask him what he thinks about this/what is he intending to do, in order to save his goatee, lol.
Worst scenario : You could end up having to find a job somewhere else though if the worse comes to the worse and you hang on to your hair.
All depends on how management handle it/ how much they want to keep their waiter and head chef.

David333

I'mcomingbackasaman wrote:

No one can make you do anything. You have free will.
If I were you I'd make an ally of the guy with the goatee beard and ask him what he thinks about this/what is he intending to do, in order to save his goatee, lol.
Worst scenario : You could end up having to find a job somewhere else though if the worse comes to the worse and you hang on to your hair.
All depends on how management handle it/ how much they want to keep their waiter and head chef.

I'm front of house though, whereas the chef is obviously behind closed doors... . But thanks anyway!

jellynose

You could argue that its gender discrimination.

A man recently won a discrimination case as his manager asked him to shave off his moustache (he was a sales rep). He refused as he said that the female sales reps were not required to shave and some of them had moustaches. He won his case and the panel decided he was a victim of indirect gender discrimination.

I'mcomingbackasaman

We had a change of manager once and he preferred all male staff to wear shirts and ties (whether they were front line staff or not) they did comply because of his position in the company but as soon as he left they reverted back to polo shirts etc.

Has this clean shaven policy, happened because of a new manager ? Seems unfair after you've been with them a year to bring this in, but then again who says life's fair.

mouseymousey99

Hi David - mmmm difficult one, sorry but I'm prob with the owner - you are the image they present to the world. Its not worth losing or packing in your job over it if you are otherwise happy. If you get x2 days off on consecutive days could you save the stubble for then? I understand the rights and wrongs but kitchens & restaurants are a law unto themselves....

missk_ensington

jellynose wrote:

You could argue that its gender discrimination.

A man recently won a discrimination case as his manager asked him to shave off his moustache (he was a sales rep). He refused as he said that the female sales reps were not required to shave and some of them had moustaches. He won his case and the panel decided he was a victim of indirect gender discrimination.

Lol that is so funny :rotfl:

MJMum

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David333

mouseymousey99 wrote:

Hi David - mmmm difficult one, sorry but I'm prob with the owner - you are the image they present to the world. Its not worth losing or packing in your job over it if you are otherwise happy. If you get x2 days off on consecutive days could you save the stubble for then? I understand the rights and wrongs but kitchens & restaurants are a law unto themselves....

Well the official line is if you turn up for work with an unironed shirt or not presentable, you'll be given a warning, and sent home to iron it or presumably get shaved so I think they're not trying to be a 'law unto themselves'. They can't just give out written warnings for anything and everything, can they...? Based on how they've been the last year, they're very eager not to be sued, very eager to stay the right side of the law. I was wondering about the legality of making someone shave; would that not mean that the terms and conditions of my employment have changed, meaning they have to give me a new contract...?

Savvy_Sue

I'd ask ACAS about that ...

mumsicle_2

I did some mystery shopping on a pub recently, one question was were staff member neatly shaven, take off full marks for 'stubble'. A full beard was allowed but not stubble. The staff have to grow beards during their holidays.