Can employer to tell you to shave your beard off?

Gavin83

Where does it end on how much an employer can define your look? Women all have to have long hair or men short hair? People aren't allowed to wear glasses, contacts only? We don't like fat people, lose some weight or lose your job?

Undervalued

Gavin83 wrote: »

Where does it end on how much an employer can define your look? Women all have to have long hair or men short hair? People aren't allowed to wear glasses, contacts only? We don't like fat people, lose some weight or lose your job?

Plenty of employers have very tight dress and appearance rules. As has been said above, apart from certain forms of religious or sexual discrimination, then yes they can dictate that employees must be clean shaven, wear certain types of clothing etc etc.

Guest101

Gavin83 wrote: »

Where does it end on how much an employer can define your look? Women all have to have long hair or men short hair? - That is possible, certainly its possible to expect a professional hairstyle. People aren't allowed to wear glasses, contacts only? - less likely, as it's a medical condition I'd expect it to be 'untouchable' in most areas of work We don't like fat people, lose some weight or lose your job?

Worth remembersing that under two years of employment, yes all three of those are valid 'reasons' to dismiss

sangie595

Guest101 wrote: »

Worth remembersing that under two years of employment, yes all three of those are valid 'reasons' to dismiss

And could be after two years as well, in some circumstances. The fitness trainer who has become obese doesn't advertise the service well, for example. It's often a tight rope to walk for employers, but dismissals on the basis of appearance do happen even after two years, and may be fair.

ThemeOne

After the Nicola Thorp case earlier this year, it seems employers can even require women to wear high heels, though I wonder if one could claim one's religion forbids it, just as one could claim religion "requires" a beard. It seems an employer cannot ask for any proof of religion.

Guest101

ThemeOne wrote: »

After the Nicola Thorp case earlier this year, it seems employers can even require women to wear high heels, though I wonder if one could claim one's religion forbids it, just as one could claim religion "requires" a beard. It seems an employer cannot ask for any proof of religion.

Religion doesn't trump everything.


Employers are expected to make reasonable adjustments - key word 'reasonable'

adonis

ThemeOne wrote: »

Following on from that, if you said you have a beard because you're a member of one of these religions, would there then be a requirement to prove your religious membership, and if so how would that be done?

Just tell them you are a moonie and drop your trousers.;)

Savvy_Sue

ThemeOne wrote: »

After the Nicola Thorp case earlier this year, it seems employers can even require women to wear high heels, though I wonder if one could claim one's religion forbids it, just as one could claim religion "requires" a beard. It seems an employer cannot ask for any proof of religion.

I'm not aware of any religion with any ruling on footwear ...

Wake_up_call

motorguy wrote: »

I dont expect that would end well and i seriously wouldnt recommend it.

I'm not recommending it either, but if someone decided they were part of a faith, their employers have no legal right to claim otherwise.

ThemeOne

Guest101 wrote: »

Religion doesn't trump everything.

Employers are expected to make reasonable adjustments - key word 'reasonable'

I'm curious to know how far it can be taken. Can employers' requirements re appearance be waived only when the employee says they belong to certain named religions (with maybe different rules applying to different religions) - even though there's no way to prove that is your religion - or can the employee simply say "I adopt that appearance, or way of dress, because of my religion" (unspecified) and the employer then has no power to ask them to change.