Oh No My Job Didn't!

**miss.candace** · 07-21-2007, 02:04 PM

Ok, so I've been workin at this place for a few months now, and 90% of the time I wear a headwrap. So I go in today, && I decide to wear a different one, white instead of black. I'm not at work for a full 10 minutes before one of my supervisors [[white]] comes up to me && says, "Um..candace, we're not sure that you should wear that thing on your head."
Then I say, "Uhh....why?"
Her: Well it doesn't go with the uniform. What's it for, anyway?
Me: It's for my hair [[duh]].
Her: Well we're gonna need you to take it off.
Me: Do I have to? I'm having a bad hair day.
Her: I'm not sure. I'll go ask another supervisor.

So then I go about my day, doin my job, && I notice that all the supervisors && security guards keep staring at me && talking quietly when I pass. After about 2 and a half hours of this, I walk by a group of managers and one of them stops me.
Her: Candace you have to take that off.
Me: [[I gave her a look like WTF???]]
Her: You can't wear it with the uniform. Take it off please.
Me: Are you serious?
Her: Yes you can't wear it. Put your hair into a ponytail or something.
Me: I don't have enough hair for a ponytail.
Her: Oh, you don't? Sorry, there's nothing I can do about it. You have to take it off.

I go into the bathroom, all sad && stuff. I started venting to one of my friends. I don't understand why I had to take my head wrap off when I've worn head wraps PLENTY of times at work before. I don't feel I should have to show my hair if I don't want to. One of my co-workers saw that I took my wrap off && he said ,"Oh snap, they made you take it off? Why???? You wear them all the time!"
I knew I wasn't the only one who thought this was wrong.

The only way they would have let me keep it on was if the wrap was for religious reasons.

I felt kinda depressed really. I felt like they were dissing my style && not respecting my want to keep my hair wrapped. Why is it a problem now, when it wasn't before???????

:unsure:

BTW: when I was wearing my black wrap, they knew it was a wrap.

**GoodT** · 07-21-2007, 02:23 PM

Well... if you have been wearing a black one, they probably didn't look close enough to see that it was a wrap and not your actual hair... If the white one stood out and it was obvious that it was a wrap, then that's probably why they said that... Sorry mami...

My job is like that too... Apparently my hair is too "ethnic"... Just shake it off and K.I.M....

**delleaux** · 07-21-2007, 02:39 PM

NO! First find out is their a policy about grooming standards. If there is not regarding headwraps. I question their motives right away. When someone aske me to do something like that they better have a rationale for it and I better see it in writing. I wear headwraps because my locks are getting to the point where I can't stand the heat of them on my neck and the headwrap is the perfect solution. I am sorry to hear this but HR is your first step. <_<

**ReginaCarter** · 07-21-2007, 02:42 PM

If u wear a uniform you probabbly have to follow certain rules when it comes to look,when i used to work at the airport we,employees couldnt wear colorful hair ,spiky hair ,braids (white or hispanic COULD NOT wear braids or cornrows) high ponytails or bangs over the eyes.We had regulations for shoes,jewellery etc .
Dont think its a act of racism towards u ,they re probably simply following the company policy.Respect it .

**bonbonita** · 07-21-2007, 02:43 PM

awww. something similar happened to me when I used to work retail (wet seal). but my manager was too lenient, but I noticed that finally she was starting to have some issues with my head wraps (I wear it like a bun, and I always add a flower to it so I look pretty "fashionable")...one day she was all fidgety and stuff...you know fixing her hair and dress and avoiding eye contact....finally she was like "is your head wrap for religious reasons?" and I said "and what if it's not?" she was like "well I don't know, you know, I was just wondering because you know..." and I told her that I only wore it on bad hair days or just generally to accessorize" she was like "oh...well then, just don't wear it when the district manager visits, she's really picky.

So yea. I was tempted to lie and say it was for religious reasons, the lady wouldn't have known any better...as in wonder why I wear it off and on, lol. She's just soooo sheltered in more ways than one. But I felt that approach would have been unethical.

**miss.candace** · 07-21-2007, 02:57 PM

See, that's the thing though. I looked it up in the employee manual && it didn't say you can't wear wraps. :Angry:

**ReginaCarter** · 07-21-2007, 03:02 PM

See, that's the thing though. I looked it up in the employee manual && it didn't say you can't wear wraps. :Angry:
[/b]

Ask your boss ,what do u do if I may ask?

**Samii2004** · 07-21-2007, 03:05 PM

See, that's the thing though. I looked it up in the employee manual && it didn't say you can't wear wraps. :Angry:
[/b]

If you looked it up and it was not there, read the language very carefully because there could be a generalized statement that could include your headwrap. If there isn't then I would aske questions as to why your headwrap is an issue when the company has no policy stating the even infers that you cannot wear headwraps. As someone stated. your first line of questions should be to HR if you feel strongly about it.