Tattoos in the Workplace, Know Your Company Policy

The human culture has been practicing all types of body art since the beginning of time. There are cultures past and present that tattoo their entire body as part of their passages through the stages of manhood, marriage and other significant milestones. In recent past mainstream society the only people that tattooed their bodies so visibly were bikers, convicts and soldiers. Now it is a popular means of self expression, and has become popular among all people in today's society. But as this trend increases the number of employers banning visible tattoos are increasing as well.

There are more tattoo parlors and more laws and regulations about how they operate. They are required to register with the department of health and certain pieces of equipment must be disposable, those that can be cleaned must be autoclaved. Most states now have these or similar regulations. Tattoos have become more accessible, easier and safer, so employers have had no choice but to address this growing trend and draft company policies about visible body art.

This issue is only for those tattoos that are exposed when clothing cannot cover them. For example, people have tattoos on their necks, hands, wrist, and if short sleeves are worn then the forearms are exposed as well. So if one is hired and a tattoo is covered during the interview, the employee should know the policy once they begin work. Some Large Companies like Disney state tattoos cannot be covered with band-aids, but opaque make-up is acceptable and is encouraged. Wal-Mart states tattoos that are offensive or destructive must be covered. The biggest problems are those who want to become police officers. Any officers with tattoos on the forearms must wear long sleeves. This is a rule in several California cities and counties, where temperatures can reach 100 degrees. Sacramento County actually received a complaint about an officer's tattoo, not because it was offensive, but just merely because it was there. The woman thought the man was a convict impersonating a police officer.

So would this be considered discrimination? There is some controversy about this issue. You have the right of free expression, but an employer has the right not to hire you, and will you ever really know if it was the tattoo that blew it for you or not? According to EEOC it is not discriminatory; the EEOC covers race, religion, age, color, natural origin or gender. Tattoos fall outside those parameters, and according to the EEOC companies can enforce dress codes and appearance policies as long as they don't infringe upon the aforementioned items that do fall within the definition of discrimination.

Employers are starting to recognize that more and more people are sporting tattoos today and have started to address it in the workplace. Companies are drafting policies through their human resources departments about dress codes that are including how tattoos should be handled. So can one have a great career with a tattoo? The answer is yes, just be aware of your company's policy and take care when you decide on your tattoo. Everyone should think long and hard about what, where and how it will be perceived. Perception is the key. Your intention of portrayal may not be what the perception is on the other side.