Is it right or even legal?

[Tiamat]

So while Texas is a hire and fire at will state does that also give our bosses the right to tell us that we have tyo wear makeup to work?

I am totally blessed to have been one of those girls in High School that everyone hated for my skin. I have one of those peaches and cream complextions and if and I do mean if I ever got a pimple it was never big nor lasted long. I can get away without wearing makeup because I also have natural redness on my face on my cheeks. I think it's because I'm a natural red head.

Anyway a few weeks ago I didn't have enough time to put the makeup on before work and thought I'd do it when I got there. Of course the second I walk in the door all hell breaks loose and it's actually about 15 minutes before I can make a run for the bathroom. Shortly after that my office manager informs me that "we do have a standard to maintain on the front desk and that I really need to make sure I have my makeup on. "

I'm thinking, I'm sitting here dressed in a $200 dress with matching shoes, hair is perfect, smelling good with $150 a bottle perfume on but that's not enough I have to have makeup on as well.

Now I could see it if I was one of those girls who piled it on but I don't. I wear lotion (moisture) mascara, a little powder, blush (very light) and clear lip gloss. That's it! No eyeshadow or all that heavy stuff most girls wear. In fact husband preferes me without it.

So can they do that? Can they tell me that I have to wear makeup?

[Imran Siddiqui]

What's your job?

And does it mention anything about looks in the employement contract?

[rah]

If you're front desk or another client facing postion, I'd say it is within their right to set standards. While the standards could be debated, it's not unreasonable for them to set some. But if they set standards, they'd better be real good about enforcing them across the board.

[Jon Miller]

Almost always girls look better with no makeup than with makeup.

JM

[Tiamat]

My job is the Front Desk at a very busy OB/GYN office actually a Perinatologist (we handle high risk preg) but we do have some upscale clientel as well as local celebrities. But still.....I could see it if I wore alot of makeup to begin with but since I prefer the natrual look...I tend to stay that way in the makeup department.

They do keep the standards across the board except for the nursing staff. The sonographers and the one nurse we have can come it with it on but most days they don't wear any. I'm thinking if I have to then they should as well. They have just as much patient contact as I do.

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Almost always girls look better with no makeup than with makeup.

JM

See that's my husband's thinking as well unless they are porn stars.......then he feels like they need shiny red lips

[Pekka]

I agree with JM.

[chequita guevara]

Unless men are also required to wear makeup, you cannot be required. Good luck trying to prove in court that was why you were terminated, though.

[Pekka]

That was what I was thinking about, that in here, the guy should be expecting harrasment suit or other types of complaints. But I don't know how it is in the States with these things.

[Tiamat]

Damn! I'm not being fired! I just didn't think you could tell someone they had to wear makeup. It would be pretty hard to tell the one and only male in our office that he has to wear makeup since he owns the practice.

He comes in all scruffy on days when he has surgery so he has days he doesn't look so hot.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Almost always girls look better with no makeup than with makeup.

JM

Agreed

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Tiamat
Damn! I'm not being fired! I just didn't think you could tell someone they had to wear makeup. It would be pretty hard to tell the one and only male in our office that he has to wear makeup since he owns the practice.

He comes in all scruffy on days when he has surgery so he has days he doesn't look so hot.

Does your employer have an official dress code? That's the first place to look.

When my court decided to adopt a detailed dress code, it was so focused on making it gender neutral that I am now allowed to wear dresses.

[-Jrabbit]

Ooh, you definitely should, Zk!!

[snoopy369]

One of my former coworkers when I worked at Borders (a bookseller) wore a kilt on his last day of work ... his way of poking fun at the dresscode (which did theoretically permit men to wear dresses).

I think that it is legally permissable to require women to wear makeup if it is 'socially expected' of someone in their position (ie, if it would drive away business for them not to). But IANAL, so Imran/ZK would be better to discuss this I'm sure

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by snoopy369
...I think that it is legally permissable to require women to wear makeup if it is 'socially expected' of someone in their position (ie, if it would drive away business for them not to). But IANAL, so Imran/ZK would be better to discuss this I'm sure

That's a pretty good analysis. An at-will employee can be fired for any reason, or for no reason, but not for a "bad" reason, such as gender discrimination.

Technically, an employer cannot treat the genders differently unless there is a "legitimate business reason," for example, a movie producer would not have to give me an equal chance at the role of Betsy Ross because that roll requires a woman.

I can't say for sure, but my knee-jerk reaction is that, because you're interfacing with the public in an office position, and because the public is upscale and will be expecting women to wear some make-up, it's probably okay to require you to wear it.

This means that Imran will show up in about 15 minutes to tell me why I'm wrong.