Got in trouble for being kilted at work

[CDNSushi]

Although approaching HR might clarify whether kilt wearing is indeed against company policy or not, it will do little (read: nothing) to alleviate the situation locally. If the manager is convinced that it is "unprofessional" then no one in HR will tell him otherwise, even if it IS technically allowed. If you pursue this issue, I can virtually guarantee that there will be some hard feelings from being proven wrong, and he will go out of his way to find OTHER grounds for negative performance reviews, transfer, dismissal, or whatever it will take to get you out of his hair.

Remember the old adage: A mind changed against its will, is of the same opinion still.

The best advice I've seen here thus far is to indeed evaluate where kilt-wearing stands in your list of priorities compared to the job you currently have.

[Spartan Tartan]

Although approaching HR might clarify whether kilt wearing is indeed against company policy or not, it will do little (read: nothing) to alleviate the situation locally. If the manager is convinced that it is "unprofessional" then no one in HR will tell him otherwise, even if it IS technically allowed. If you pursue this issue, I can virtually guarantee that there will be some hard feelings from being proven wrong, and he will go out of his way to find OTHER grounds for negative performance reviews, transfer, dismissal, or whatever it will take to get you out of his hair.

Remember the old adage: A mind changed against its will, is of the same opinion still.

The best advice I've seen here thus far is to indeed evaluate where kilt-wearing stands in your list of priorities compared to the job you currently have.

I've been trying his to compose this exact sentiment...well said CDNSushi.

[RockyR]

I'm of the same mind as many others. check with HR yourself and get it in writing. Go to the manager with a COPY of the letter in writing (while wearing pants) and POLITELY explain the following:

1. He said he didn't want to spend hours on the phone checking it out, so you did for him. HR is OK with it.
2. HE wont get in trouble. After all, it sounds like he was trying to cover his own butt with the district manager.
3. You're not planning on wearing it every day.... just on celtic holidays (once a month maybe to start).
4. you're not trying to be difficult or cause trouble. you just want to express your heritage.
5. you'll make sure to maintain modesty so it won't interfere with your job climbing ladders.

go in with solutions, evidence and take away his fears and do it calmly. you get more flies with honey than vinegar.

[TexasMommy]

I have worked in HR for several years, but my personal opinion is that it is a cultural tradition that should be allowed. Such as where I worked Indian women were allowed to wear their beautiful saris and certain men wore the long tunic shirts that went to their knees with pants of course.

I don't think you should be forced to ignore your culture, just because it is not that of a minority.

But I am the type of person that hates seeing double standards like this.

So while this would be a battle, if I were a man, that I would choose, you have to choose for yourself. Best of luck to you.

[Calico]

CDNSushi said it well.

It really doesn't matter if you are right or wrong, or how much you have in writing from HR.

This manager is small minded and if you get on his bad side (already started) he is going to find a way to shaft you. And HR won't stop him, as long as he doesn't say it has anything to do with the kilt.

Is it worth fighting a losing battle? Or winning this fight only to lose the war?

[TexasMommy]

Actually this has me intrigued, I'm going to ask my law professor tomorrow, but this might possibly fall under non discrimination of ethnic background, one of the protected classes. As I said other people are allowed to wear cultural/ethnic attire, why shouldn't you be.

However I am asking my professor purely as a hypothetical, as others have said you have to work there.......

[chrisupyonder]

In this day and age there should be A dress code, not a separate dress code for male and female. I had this argument 10 years ago when I worked in a call centre. Men HAD to wear a tie but women did not. I said that I would wear a kilt then, but was flatly refused. I did not take it any further, I needed the job. But you could now call it sex discrimination.

[Riverkilt]

Something you may consider. If your "large home improvement store" has long hours, perhaps you could come to the store kilted when you're not on the clock - as a shopper. Wander the store, being sure to buy something...but kilted on your own time....like its the most normal thing in the world.

Maybe...your manager would get more used to the look. Too bad he or the district manager don't have a Scottish heritage....

Someone may recall, I've lost the article, but wasn't Southwest Airlines (or some other airlines) sued big time and lost for refusing to let a female employee wear a culturally traditional headpiece?

[Kett]

As a member of the HR community, although one of those lines of business that falls under HR because no one else knows what to do with us...

I would offer up that in any large company, if you know the HR contact (be it HR manager for your area/region/whatever) or the VP of HR's name is posted on the company website somewhere, give them a polite phone call.

A phone call allows the tone of voice to come across, which a letter or email does not do well. Explaining that you read the dress code, checked with so-and-so who thought it was ok, but now your immediate supervisor is having a mini-meltdown and you're concerned not only for said supervisor because you know, there are other employees who may not be bold enough to speak up, and you strive to be a good worker etc etc, will get you a lot more mileage than you might expect.

HR communities should take a legitimate employee concern up the corporate food chain, and then back DOWN the corporate food chain, advising said supervisor to back off, or else - without any demands for approval on company letterhead.

It might take some time, after all, I can guarantee a lot of phone calls are going to occur which means inevitable games of phone tag. But really, the HR team for your Company should NOT be out to get you and knowing they have a hothead supervisor is info they need to know, and will deal with if they are at all a good Company. Being polite and giving them some time to maneuver will help you a lot, in case there comes a time you do need to draw your line in the sand and declare they are unfair and discriminatory.

I used to smirk at the "Hi, I'm here from Corporate and I'm here to help" thing, until I became Corporate. Really, we (Corporate people) aren't nearly as horrid as people think we might be!

My $0.02USD.

Melissa

[rmckay]

Hopefully I'm not going to cross any lines with this, but lets try to look at this from the viewpoint of a non-Scot heritage kilt wearer. Many of the suggestions here are great for those of us that can claim this as our heritage, but there are those who can't and I'm sure they would enjoy wearing their kilt to work if they could every once in awhile.

We keep saying that we have to pick our battles when it comes to wearing a kilt to work and to a point I agree with that, but overall for all of our benefit are we not going to have to have this battle at some point on a larger scale than just one job here and there. Now I'm not suggesting that anyone go out and sue a company that doesn't allow someone to wear a kilt to work, but would it be prudent to go ahead and ask your HR departments to clarify the dress code when it comes to a kilt even if you never plan on wearing one to work.

I'm thinking that if more poeple started to ask about it and let others know about it we can start to really guage what types of companies are more willing to allow it. If enough people start asking about it then maybe companies will start to clarify one way or another in the dress code itself so that it is not so vauge to employees. If you work in a company that would be nice enough to clarify this in the dress code then there can be no basis for a manager saying its wrong or unprofessional if its clearly allowed in the written company dress code.

The other benefit of doing this would then be to allow those who work in companies who wont allow kilts to apply gentle pressure here and there to maybe change that companies mind. In other words if you work for company A and they don't allow kilts at work, but you can show them that company B and C in the same field do allow them, maybe just maybe company A might decide to allow kilts.

Ok hopefully didn't offend anyone and rant off.