Shaving your head and the job

[K5mow]

Hi all

Just wanted to know if any of you heard of the workplace frowning on shaving your head. What I mean is having a policy that you can't shave your head. Now my job has no such policy obviously but a friend of mine was interested in shaving his head and was concerned that his job may not allow it. I can't imagine having such a policy but wanted to know if any of you heard of this.

Roger

[buddha]

Years ago when I was working the street one of the guys I worked with shaved his head and got all kinds of flack from the COs. There was no specific policy against shaving heads but he was not well regarded due to some of his antics (I mean he was bat-$h!t crazy) but the policy was just vague enough that the powerful within the organization could twist the wording to suit just about anything.
Lately, though, I have heard of nothing of the sort. That doesn't mean it never happens. If a policy is written vaguely enough a sick administrative mind can use it to their advantage in just about any case.

[fencer]

IF there was such a policy, does that mean they could let you go if you started loosing your hair naturally? 

[Hingatao]

IF there was such a policy, does that mean they could let you go if you started loosing your hair naturally? 

They'd probably get sued for that. It'd be discrimination. Some companies, including the one I work for, have policies against "unnatural" hairstyles such as dying it green or something like that. But I can't see someone seriously considering baldness as unnatural even if it's by choice.

[Sir Harry]

Maybe in the 1970s or 80s a shaved head was taboo in the workplace....Nowadays, many businesses seem okay with having sly guys in their numbers, and some even welcome a sly guy......Oddly enough, our new plant manager was sporting a short buzz, but he went sly two weeks ago and everyone seems to like it!

[tobler1]

Back when I worked as an attorney, I once was asked about a policy that would have barred beards on the job.  But I never once heard about any policies banning or that contemplated banning shaved heads. 

[Laser Man]

I don't know that a company could have a formal policy prohibiting shaved heads, but there can be informal pressure, especially if the company is very conservative. That being said, my company is conservative and there is no taboo. In fact several executives shave their heads.

[Semi-Sly]

Well there is a "policy" against it in the United States Air Force.  In fact, it can be punished under military criminal law, (Uniform Code of Military Justice).  An Airman can only shave the scraps if he is MBP.  Otherwise, it is strictly forbidden.

And now the Marine Corps forbids the traditional "horseshoe" haircut as well!

[slybeard]

The only jobs I can think of that may have an issues is the entertainment and TV industry where that may have ceratin appearance standards or  a contract for their on air employees.

[Sir Harry]

Well there is a "policy" against it in the United States Air Force.  In fact, it can be punished under military criminal law, (Uniform Code of Military Justice).  An Airman can only shave the scraps if he is MBP.  Otherwise, it is strictly forbidden.

And now the Marine Corps forbids the traditional "horseshoe" haircut as well!

It never was much of an issue in the Army...While not necessarily recommended, there wasn't any consequences for doing it AFAIK

[K5mow]

Thanks for all the great information and the replies.

Roger

[Semi-Sly]

Right.  The building I work in shared with the Army.  Lot of the soldiers in my building shave their heads - although every one of them that I have seen is MBP and not just BBC.

would you believe it though, we have one soldier here who wears a toupee!  (And it is a really noticeable toupee').  Now I would have thought that would be prohibited for safety/operational reasons!

[Sir Harry]

Right.  The building I work in shared with the Army.  Lot of the soldiers in my building shave their heads - although every one of them that I have seen is MBP and not just BBC.

would you believe it though, we have one soldier here who wears a toupee!  (And it is a really noticeable toupee').  Now I would have thought that would be prohibited for safety/operational reasons!

I think a toupee is allowed if you have scarring and it doesn't interfere with the proper wearing of headgear. In combat most just shaved or went natural to ensure that their kevlars fit.

[wpruitt]

The only jobs I can think of that may have an issues is the entertainment and TV industry where that may have ceratin appearance standards or  a contract for their on air employees.

Somewhere I read that it is in Matt Lauer's contract that he cannot shave his head ... though nature is taking a pretty good toll!  I guess NBC thinks Al Roker is enought sly for the Today Show

[AgentBald]

SLy is so mainstream nowadays.  I cant think of a typical job that would frown upon a shaved head for any reason.