Manager refused to employ for not shaving beard

AIRMiNet

Friend interviewed at an Irish fast food restaurant chain (not a franchise) as a self employed delivery driver. Offered a job (as they're desperate) and intimated start date and working hours.

Non Irish interviewer goes on saying you will have to shave your beard because it's company policy (not sure if actually company policy or his personal preference) . He said as you're the image of the company in front of customers hence this requirement (not due to health and safety or hygiene issues).

Friend would not shave beard for a million dollars due to religious reasons.

Now if Sikhs are exempted/protected from wearing safety helmets at construction sites due to religious beliefs/attire, then does this company policy discriminates against sex or gender expression?

Friend is POC and manager eastern European.

Any recourse if an official complaint is made to HQ? Thanks.

98q76e12hrflnk

Thats his problem and he should get lost

Mod
Pls be civil here

Samuel T. Cogley

Possibly indirect religous discrimination, report it to the equality people - not actually sure who in this instance.

L1011

I'd be fairly certain that if the reason for not shaving is religion it makes the refusal illegal on the protected grounds. Workplace Relations Commission is the complaint body I think.

Also, any employer imposing a "no beards" rule is going to have problems with current fashions. Retailers used to be solidly no beards, no visible tattoos or piercings - and all three have had to go away due to fashion and not being able to find staff.

goat2

When you are speaking about a job handling food or being near food for retail, there are lots of health and safety restrictions, no jewellery, hair tied back, neat dress, safety shoes, but beards I would have to look up, I think it would be in this category, if the beard is long, yes hairs in food could be an issue, just thinking

Shower Doctor

Religion goes out the window when they are shaving their pubes.

Mod
Thank you. Pls stay off this thread

L1011

goat2 wrote: »

When you are speaking about a job handling food or being near food for retail, there are lots of health and safety restrictions, no jewellery, hair tied back, neat dress, safety shoes, but beards I would have to look up, I think it would be in this category, if the beard is long, yes hairs in food could be an issue, just thinking

Beard nets exist. They are used in plenty of places. No more risk than long hair with a hair net; or a tight haircut without anything, both of which are entirely OK.

cnocbui

goat2 wrote: »

When you are speaking about a job handling food or being near food for retail, there are lots of health and safety restrictions, no jewellery, hair tied back, neat dress, safety shoes, but beards I would have to look up, I think it would be in this category, if the beard is long, yes hairs in food could be an issue, just thinking

The job was delivering it, not preparing it.

littelady

Could a Muslim refuse to handle pork? But still be allowed to be a delivery driver under the grounds of religion.

listermint

goat2 wrote: »

When you are speaking about a job handling food or being near food for retail, there are lots of health and safety restrictions, no jewellery, hair tied back, neat dress, safety shoes, but beards I would have to look up, I think it would be in this category, if the beard is long, yes hairs in food could be an issue, just thinking

Delivery work.



....

L1011

littelady wrote: »

Could a Muslim refuse to handle pork? But still be allowed to be a delivery driver under the grounds of religion.

There are different rules when it comes to actually being able to carry out the job or not.

Someone with a beard is in no way unable to deliver takeaways. Someone who refuses to handle non-halal/kosher/strict Hindu/Jain compliant food is clearly not able to carry out some/most delivery jobs.

goat2

listermint wrote: »

Delivery work.



....

but is it food he would be delivering, there are v strict, hygiene rules around hair

L1011

goat2 wrote: »

but is it food he would be delivering, there are v strict, hygiene rules around hair

They'll be closed containers before they are handed over to the delivery staff. If someone was still paranoid, beard net time.

listermint

goat2 wrote: »

but is it food he would be delivering, there are v strict, hygiene rules around hair

Not for delivering food.

Do you even know what your are talking about.

goat2

listermint wrote: »

Not for delivering food.

Do you even know what your are talking about.

I have worked within the food industry,
For Delivery, I don't have a clue, since everything is packaged, I don't think it matters whether a person has beard or not, but I don't know

Victor

AIRMiNet wrote: »

Friend interviewed at an Irish fast food restaurant chain (not a franchise) as a self employed delivery driver. Offered a job

"Self-employed" and "job" rarely sit well together.

AIRMiNet wrote: »

Non Irish interviewer goes on saying you will have to shave your beard because it's company policy (not sure if actually company policy or his personal preference) . He said as you're the image of the company in front of customers hence this requirement (not due to health and safety or hygiene issues).

Do they enforce this rule on women?

Friend would not shave beard for a million dollars due to religious reasons.

...

Friend is POC and manager eastern European.

In the US, it has been found that such beard policies have racist undertones. People of African ethnicity more likely to have medical issues shaving.

Mrs OBumble

Victor wrote: »

"Self-employed" and "job" rarely sit well together.

Do they enforce this rule on women?

In the US, it has been found that such beard policies have racist undertones. People of African ethnicity more likely to have medical issues shaving.

Have you met many bearded ladies?

I'm struggling to think of an African who I've met in Ireland who has a beard.




OP if your friend follows an acknowledged religion, he may have grounds for a complaint. If it's his own personal religion, maybe not.

tedpan

AIRMiNet wrote:

Friend would not shave beard for a million dollars due to religious reasons.

Cool story bro...