Dining at a fine fast food establishment known for their
customer service and the founder’s high moral standards, it was noticed that
the server had a rather large flesh colored earring. Looking closer, it wasn’t
an earring, but a nickel sized plastic plug to close a hole in the server’s
earlobe. It was interesting but soon forgotten. A week later, a HVAC technician
arrived for a service call. The technician had the same kind of plug in his
ear. Remembering the fast food server brought up the question-Are the earlobe
plugs imposed by the companies or voluntary?
Gauges
Called ear gauges, the devices are used to incrementally
stretch a pierced hole in one’s earlobe to a desired size. The stretching is a
form of body piercing and has grown in popularity over the last decade. Most
people wear the gauge in the hole, while others wear larger, ornamental
designs.
Workplace
One’s ability to perform a job should not be based solely on
their appearance. But employers can have policies in regards to image, professional
attire, and safety in the workplace. These policies have to be equitably
enforced and cannot discriminate against ethnic or religious appearances. The
policies differ with how each company addresses and defines appearance.
In regards to ear gauges, an informal survey of local
businesses found that they would not desire an employee with gauges. Citing the
image that is presented would not reflect the image of the company. A few would
not mind as long as the employee did not engage the public and there were no
safety concerns. One would allow piercings but specifically had a policy
against gauges.
That seems to answer the question about the employees seen
with the flesh colored earlobe plugs. Businesses seem to be more tolerable
about ear and facial piercings than they are with the gauges.
