Threatened with Suspension

[clarabel82]

I have pink and purple hair, it has been like this for two months. I asked my team manager at work first if I could do it and checked the work handbook and found no mention of hair colour. So yesterday (Friday) I am told by my team manager that my store manager said if my hair isn't back to the colour it was (dirty blonde) by monday he will suspend me until it has grown out. My hair is actually bleached underneath and there is no way it is all going to grow out in this time. Can he pose this threat on me, seeing as I'm not breaking any rules? I feel it is discriminatory as I am not doing my job any different to if I had natural coloured hair. my customers aren't offended by it and I had 50+ compliments about the colour a week. Can anyone offer any advice or have been in similar situations?

[andy hughes]

It would seem that you are being unfairely treated, if no mention of any problem was made on the first day you changed your hair colour. Are you in a Union? If not, get membership, and advice. now. In the mean time, try and have a calm and polite conversation with your Team Manager about what they perceive as the problem. Advise them that you were unaware of any rule breaking, and you are keen to put things right, but they have to see that this is not an overnight possibility. Hopefully this can be resolved amicably - do let us know.

[bazwillrun]

You would be better off if you were gay or some sort of ethnic person, they wouldnt dare say anything to you, give them some pap about breaching your human rights that should shut them up !!!

[Greedyfly]

If it DEFINATLY doesnt say in your staff handbook/manual - then you are not in the wrong. Where I work have just changed their policy - No un natural hair colour, no jewellry, no watches, no having fun.... Blah Blah Blah. But it is covered by a new version of the Staff Handbook

[Greedyfly]

I have just recently tried the descrimination thing myself as The company I work for used to be very laid back and employed me with a few piercings (saying there was no problem with them) and three years later I have been told I have to remove said piercings as it no longer complys with the handbook and/or the company IMAGE - thats the problem your facing, Image. But I was told that it wasnt discrimination as the company has every right to change their image and so on...

[Numbers]

What type of place do you work in clarabel?

[apricot]

Your company cannot suspend you without a disciplinary hearing first. If you are in a trade union go there for assistance, if not try CAB or even ACAS who have a free helpline.

[clarabel82]

Lodekka, I work at Boots the Chemist. I've spoken to my team manager and she said I can let it fade until Monday and then I have to bleach it. I think I am just going to do that, it's not worth losing my job over, but I'm not happy about it.

[Numbers]

The reason I asked was because there'll be a difference between how a shop with two or three staff and a large multinational such as Boots view things. I feel for you as it seems that things have turned against you, but there'll be a set of nationwide guidelines to do with corporate images and policy that are decided way above local level - there'll probably be some vague clause about extremes of fashion that'll be interpreted in different ways according to how management see things in their own eyes. If the job's OK apart from this, then do what you can with your hair and with any luck things will die down. Hope things work out for you!

[Gef]

I can't add to the excellent answers so far but just to wish you good luck clarabel.

[Numbers]

Any joy clarabel?

[clarabel82]

I bought a blonde hair dye and managed to get it out with that, looks ok, not pink but ok I suppose. The Store manager did come and say thankyou for sorting it out, so that must be a good thing. It looks like it's all over!