Got tattoos? Sorry, you're not allowed to work for us

I got a few tats. Most can be covered up. Got them on chest and upper arms.

However, i got chinese symbols on my fore arms. I work in construction and it is kind of a an unwritten rule that you have them.

However, If i went to a job interview i would just claim the symbols were religous tats. If you play that card then surely they CANNOT discriminate against you?

Would never get hands or neck done though.....

reply to post by kyleisboss

Thats the part the most disturbs me. Forget that job, you didnt even have enough decency to tell me straight out? You couldn't even call me after and let me know that I was no longer being considered for employment? That would have been the respectable thing to do, and I think maybe that's why I feel so slighted

I don't blame you for that. If he was dead set against it, then he should have said something. I suspect that he was 99% against it, but he was keeping you on the hook just in case. Kind of a crappy thing to do, but employers have to do what they feel is best for the company. They needed help, you were 99% hireable, but he wanted to hold out a week or two in case someone just like you, without the tats came along, and unlucky for you, he got his way.

I spent years as a District Manager for a big auto repair chain, and I never agreed with our tattoo policies. I probably would have still hired you. As a matter of fact, I often debated in meetings that people don't want someone who looks like a Dentist working on their car, they want someone who looks like a mechanic, LOL!

reply to post by kyleisboss


Man I am sorry to hear of this. I would be more interested in your customer focus, technical ability and work ethic. Trust me I have seen bigger criminal do things in suites and ties as white collar criminals than people with Tats.

I hope you get a job soon

reply to post by Jinglelord


Those are actually the two jobs I have the most experience in. I also ironically have a forklift license. This was probably the biggest waste of money I have spent, due to the fact that Ive yet to come across a job where the license would be practical. Most warehouse jobs wont even hire you unless you have 5+ years of experience up here.

I of course have only 4

reply to post by Advantage


Or maybe the Valvoline where the person you know works is a franchise, and the other one is corporate owned?

Or vice versa?

Originally posted by kyleisboss
Just because its within legal bounds does not make it right in my personal opinion. In the courtroom of the US maybe so, but in the courtroom of Morals (which appears to be getting increasingly smaller and smaller) I would say no.


Morals, however, are overrated nowadays it seems. Or they may just be extinct.

It's not immoral, it's just an extension of a company's dress code.

There is nothing immoral about a company outlining how they expect their employees to dress.


Surely you must have realised that you may have trouble getting some jobs before you decided to have the tattoos on your hand ?

Why didn't you just get the tats on your forearm ?

reply to post by KingDoey


They probably could, if company policy was no tattoos. I doubt it would matter what was on the tattoos.

Now, if the company allowed tattoos in general and they tried to get rid of you because you got one with a religious appearance, that would be different.

Although, if that was the case, I doubt they would TELL you that. They would find some other reason to get rid of you, lol.

I guess I don't understand. The OP has a swastika tattoo on a hand, and wonder why he didn't get hired? Ignorant ape got chided for overlooking something in the first post---well, I missed it too. How is that OK again?

With any tattoos, they can signify membership in a gang or hate group, and I can see where an employer wouldn't want to hire people who were bringing that culture and associated violence to work with them.

There's also a subculture component that goes with tattoos: substance abuse. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but in a lot of people's minds, a tattoo owner is more likely to be involved in partying. And generally, the partiers are a transient population, with absenteeism and legal issues as part of the lifestyle.

Not true in many cases, but a definite concern if you are hiring a person and taking them on as a liability.

Why does the army have a new policy forbidding visible tattoos?


Gangs. That's why.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


The OP said he does NOT have swastikas on his hands. He was saying that his tattoos are not offensive, so he does not see the problem.

Now before we all assume that I have satan, a naked lady, and a swastika tattooed on my hands, let me just tell you that is not that case.

I too understand your frustration.
I too have tattoos, many more then you.
I, fully understood that when I got them I might be limited as to the company I can work for or jobs I can do.
3 choices.
1. Cowboy up, owe up to your decisions that you have made and keep pursuing work.
2. Have them removed and re-apply.
3. Complain about it and maybe the Govt will step in and help you

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Think you may have opened a can of worms here, maybe not a good idea?

Originally posted by Sherlock HolmesI can guarantee you that you'd have absolutely no chance of winning this lawsuit.

You'd have as much chance as someone who sued their employer for not allowing them to turn up for work wearing nothing but a posing pouch.

Companies are quite rightly legally allowed to not employ someone because of tattoos that cannot be covered up.

I am glad personally that in America a business still has the right to set a standard at all. I guess if you are lucky enough to be one of the "protected" races/classes/categories you could cry discrimination - which is bad enough. People all too often nowdays abuse that card. I do understand that at a point the laws were necessary and have served their function but now its a copout for too many.

I turned some roofers away after they showed up to the house all long haired, wearing wife beaters covered in tattoos and smelling of sweat, ciggarettes and stale alcohol. I didn’t like the looks of them and didn’t want them around my house and family while I was not there. I don't care they were manual laborers and likely to never come inside - I just thought they looked like a bunch of unprofessional goons and sent them on their way. They did not inspire confidince in thier product.

It’s my right to do business with whomever I choose. I can hire who I darn well please for whatever reasons I wish and decline to hire whomever I wish likewise.

I don't even have to give them a reason - just sorry not hired. You have no right to employment.

Sure I can’t say, sorry you are black; but I can say you do not meet the consumer market relations profile we had envisioned for this position. If I wanted to sell brooms door to door in Harlem; I would be stupid to hire a bunch of good ole’ white boys from West Virginia to do so.

Likewise with anything; fat people at a health food store, an unkempt looking guy/gal with no sense of style for my fassion consulting firm or one with bad-breath for a greeter etc., or even (shock) an old person to sell beauty products. The company has a right to project an image or “face” of the company he/she feels would sell the most…whatnots or widdgitts.

I remember being about 7 years old and wondering why my grandfather who worked in the sun a lot on his farm never wore short sleeved shirts – I could never recall seeing him wear one regardless of the weather.

He got really serious for a second and sighing rolled up his sleeves showing me the hula girl and the grim reaper on his forearms. He said, “Always remember this… what seems like a really good idea when you are 19 and drunk might prevent you from getting or holding a decent job and feeding your family at 29.”

He also explained that the hula skirt and coconuts were a recent addition; this was in the mid-seventies. (He was a veteran of the Navy I guess and had some tattoos done in the Philippines.)

reply to post by kyleisboss


It is simply perception combined with assumption.

Perception: Tattoos represent people with less respect to society and themselves.
Assumption: If you have a tattoo, you would be a poor employee and create a bad public face for the employer.
Outcome: You are not hired. In fact, you could be fired from an existing job.

Personally, I would not hire anyone with an exposed tattoo in a business where that person would have direct dealings with my customers. This would NOT be because I judged him/her, but because I know that the general public DOES pass those kinds of first impression judgments. Therefore, I would have to place them and their perceptions first... because without them, my business fails, my family goes hungry and my car is repossessed... probably by people with tattoos.

This is the social stigma. It doesn't make it right... it is just what it is.

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes


I just never penciled myself into a career field where that would matter. I suppose it is my ignorance to ignorance. I really dont see the issue with what people do with their bodies, therefore I thought it would never really be a problem. I actually have yet to be tattooed in the forearm area, most run from my right shoulder to a little past my elbow. I also have something written across my collarbones and of course, the two hands. I was in a semi successful band for awhile, and it kind of just comes with the territory.

Im only 24 myself, but apparently I was taught a valuable lesson on how the world works today.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


No he doesn't. He said it is not like he had a swastika or naked woman tattoo.

I still believe they saw someone that was smarter than themselves and that right there set the stage. Never hire someone that potentially will take your own job!

I bet if you could find someone you know that has tats to apply but instead of doing a perfect interview do a three word vocabulary interview. Lots of "I think so", "I guess so", and "maybe so", and I bet that person gets hired on the spot! They will look at him and say WooHoo we found our guy! LOL

...never mind.

Hi, new member, welcome to ATS. I'm sure you will enjoy it here.

Anyway, sorry to hear of your trouble finding a job because of your tattoos.

Maybe you should think about trying to cover them up with something.

My husband used to watch LA Ink, a show about tattoo artist Kat Von D.

A couple of years ago, she came out with a tattoo cover up product, and they took pix of her before, and then after she used the cover-up. In the after pix, you couldn't even tell she had any tattoos. I don't know if this is the best product though, because reviews seem to indicate that it might not work the best.

It might be best to get something that is used for covering scars. These products have been on the market for a very long time. They can be used to cover up scars, port wine birthmarks and so on.

There are a lot of products out there, just google scar cover-up and see all the choices available. I would be sure to read the reviews available to see what users think about the products. People with visible scars they try to cover will be brutally honest as to whether they really work or not.

If you have a choice, I would definitely get one that is waterproof if you decide to try this.

You may be able to buy them at your local drug store. I know I have seen them there. If you decide to try one and you don't like how it works, you can take it back. Most drug stores will allow you to return make-up that is purchased if you don't wait too long. Just tell them it did not work for you.

I hope this helps.

Good luck in your job search.

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft

I guess I don't understand. The OP has a swastika tattoo on a hand, and wonder why he didn't get hired? Ignorant ape got chided for overlooking something in the first post---well, I missed it too. How is that OK again?

With any tattoos, they can signify membership in a gang or hate group, and I can see where an employer wouldn't want to hire people who were bringing that culture and associated violence to work with them.

There's also a subculture component that goes with tattoos: substance abuse. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but in a lot of people's minds, a tattoo owner is more likely to be involved in partying. And generally, the partiers are a transient population, with absenteeism and legal issues as part of the lifestyle.

Not true in many cases, but a definite concern if you are hiring a person and taking them on as a liability.

Why does the army have a new policy forbidding visible tattoos?


Gangs. That's why.

Please explain to me how the state of Ohio, or my daughters name, would signify anything that has to do with a gang? Even I'm not ignorant enough to get a swastika tattooed on me....reading instead of skimming will help you out in the future...

I think that is the real problem here. Stereotyping. Just by reading your comment, I can assume that you are a uptight conservative...who probably thinks that everyone else in the world is wrong. While Im not intending to insult you, thats what stereotyping does. It is a simplified image or a conception that is usually wrong.

Do I know that your uptight? No. A conservative? No. I would look like a total idiot if I thought that about you and none were to be true. That is what in general is wrong with today's society. Most people would rather make up their own opinions with garbage they may think is true and fill in the rest. Rarely are they actually right. Instead of investing to the time to understand people or issues, we just lump them together into one common problem that has a universal answer.

There are alot of people I know that are tattooed and into being "straight edged". They dont drink alcohol, smoke, partake in drugs, and some even don't have sex. Going by your logic, you would have been completely wrong to assume that they were "partyiers".

Remember...to assume just makes a ass out of you and me

reply to post by kyleisboss


I said the same thing. I always knew what kind of work I wanted to do, and its pretty much normal to have tattoos in my line of work. Ive got a full sleeve on my right arm, and have never had any problems in this business. I restore classic cars and have worked in a few shops where just about everyone had them. but it doesnt matter anymore. I work for myself now so I make the rules. I can understand how a big corporation could have policies like that though. keep your head up though. As long as you come across as an honest hard working individual, some one will give you a chance.

on a side note, I do a lot of body work. When doing body work, you have to feel really good with your hands. Its really like you see how straight a car is with your hands. Therefore, I have been thinking for a while of getting the all-seeing eye tattooed in the palm of my hand. I think it would be pretty cool, But I dont know if it would hold up or not over time. My hands look like hell all the time as it is. Im afraid it would eventually turn into a blob.

hmmm... this thread makes me think that we need a Post Your Tattoos thread in Below Top Secret.