Let’s Get Personal

I began working at this company in April 2023. By October of that year, I approached management and several supervisors with a picture of the hairstyle I wanted. Everyone agreed that it was appropriate and in compliance with our employee handbook. As a result, in November 2023, I dyed my hair black and blonde. From then until November 2024, I have received nothing but positive feedback from coworkers and customers about my hairstyle. To date, I’ve never been informed of any complaints regarding it.

However, recently, I and one other employee have been singled out concerning our hair. I’m not sure what the other individual has been told, but on November 14, 2024, I was called into a meeting with management. During this meeting, I was told that my hair violated the employee handbook. Yet, no written documentation or official notice was provided to me, either in person or via email. I was simply told to review the employee handbook, which includes the following guideline: "Employees are to be well-groomed. Hair must be natural tones and colors. No unnatural colors will be allowed. No patterns, signs, or symbols should be dyed or cut into the hair." The handbook also contains sections about tattoos and men needing to be clean-shaven, yet these rules are not consistently enforced, for reasons I do not understand.

I’m struggling to understand why, as an employee, I am expected to decipher which rules are being selectively enforced, especially when the employee handbook is meant to provide clear guidelines for everyone. When I asked for an updated version of the handbook, I was refused.

At the end of the day, I understand that it’s just a job, and I could easily dye my hair one solid, conservative color. But I will not be singled out or pressured into doing so. Highlights, which are technically a pattern in hair, are allowed, yet my hair—because of its black and blonde coloring—has become an issue. I simply can’t make sense of this inconsistency.