Kicked out of work for wearing kilt

[Tobus]

Having read through all the comments I am amazed at how behind employment law looks to me as an outsider from the other side of the 'pond'

Keep in mind that American business is based on a strong sense of property rights. The owner of a business has the right to mostly run his business how he sees fit. Except for well defined legal protections (like race, gender, etc.), employers can and should be allowed to hire and fire people based on how they want their business to be represented.

I don't want this to turn political, but you should understand that American business is very different than most of Europe, where "workers' parties" seem to dominate. Here, it's mostly an "open shop" environment except for certain trades (and only in certain areas) where labor unions are strong. Americans as a whole tend to favor the idea that employers should be free to run their business as they see fit, and if they turn out to be poor employers, people won't want to work for them. The good employers will retain good employees and the bad ones won't. The free market corrects itself. Employees therefore don't have any legal protection for wearing kilts to work, wearing green mohawks, or getting facial tattoos if the employer doesn't like it. The employer has every right to determine a dress code because it's his business. He owns it, not the employee. I fail to see how that's "behind" in any way.

[Bludongle]

The free market corrects itself. Employees therefore don't have any legal protection for wearing kilts to work, wearing green mohawks, or getting facial tattoos if the employer doesn't like it. The employer has every right to determine a dress code because it's his business. He owns it, not the employee. I fail to see how that's "behind" in any way.

The "free market" has never corrected "itself". Over and over again the U.S. government has had to pass corrective legislation, introduce oversight, regulations and blatantly bail out whole industries. There are numerous protections for employees on the books concerning safety, fair wages, and the such so claiming that a business owner "has the right to do as they please' is fairly incorrect. Businesses in America are slowly being taken to task for their "we're the hand that feeds the world so don't mess with us" attitude. They have run rough-shod over their workers AND their customers for far too long.

A perfect example of the destructive power of what free markets without unions and proper oversight can and will do for profit simply look to the Upper Big Branch miners in West Virginia.

I understand that an issue of dress code and improper managerial conduct are small issues compared to the deaths of 29 highly skilled family members but corporate responsibility has to start somewhere. This stuff doesn't "correct itself". People step up and correct it. This is one of those situations where the right people do the right thing.

Just my 2.

John

[gordontaos]

The "free market" has never corrected "itself". Over and over again the U.S. government has had to pass corrective legislation, introduce oversight, regulations and blatantly bail out whole industries. There are numerous protections for employees on the books concerning safety, fair wages, and the such so claiming that a business owner "has the right to do as they please' is fairly incorrect. Businesses in America are slowly being taken to task for their "we're the hand that feeds the world so don't mess with us" attitude. They have run rough-shod over their workers AND their customers for far too long.

A perfect example of the destructive power of what free markets without unions and proper oversight can and will do for profit simply look to the Upper Big Branch miners in West Virginia.

I understand that an issue of dress code and improper managerial conduct are small issues compared to the deaths of 29 highly skilled family members but corporate responsibility has to start somewhere. This stuff doesn't "correct itself". People step up and correct it. This is one of those situations where the right people do the right thing.

Just my 2.

John

Bludongle is 100% correct

[Geoff Withnell]

Bludongle is 100% correct

I fail to see what this post and the one it refers to has to do with kilts or kilt wearing!

Geoff Withnell

[hallmarktex]

I fail to see what this post and the one it refers to has to do with kilts or kilt wearing!

Geoff Withnell

Hear, hear!

[Bludongle]

I fail to see what this post and the one it refers to has to do with kilts or kilt wearing!

Geoff Withnell

Because wearing a kilt sparked the poor treatment of someone contributing to the economy and earning their own livelihood. Some had said that he had no recourse.

I disagree.