Hollow Victory

[Riverkilt]

For the newcomers will give a brief outline of my history of kilts at work. Hope that's okay with the mods.

I work as a licensed professional counselor in a rural behavioral health agency. Most of my work is with alcohol and drug clients with DUIs, on probation, parole, or doing treatment while in detox.

I began wearing kilts about three years ago. Started wearing them to work occasionally, then full time. At that time our agency dress code was, "Don't make us institute a dress code."

After two and half years of being kilted full time my then clinical supervisor told me I could no longer wear kilts. We had a meet and greet scheduled with the EAP for a large local plant seeking a contract with them for behavioral health services. I wore pants and did so well in connecting with the EAP - turns out we had many common friends in the profession - that the supervisor told me I could wear kilts whenever I wanted. So I did.

She was fired a few weeks later and a few months later my new clinical supervisor, a man I've worked with since I hired on six years before, came to me and said if I wore kilts anymore I'd be fired. Shortly after I spoke with the CEO who told me the supervisor got it wrong, that he only wanted me to look at whether wearing kilts affected my ability to establish rapport and develop a therapeutic relationship with my clients.

I put together a paper listing all the professional studies that indicate addressing cultural difference from the beginning of therapy is critical. Since many of my clients are Dine' and there are strong parallels in the Scottich culture and the Navajo culture I felt kilts helped there. Listed all the other things one normally would, women and pants 50 years ago, the 1746 proscription, kilt fashion boom, comfort, medical needs, etc.

I heard nothing for 8 weeks. They hired a new clinical supervisor. A young man who I worked with previously when he was a therapist. He'd come back as a supervisor now. Talking with him I asked if there had been any decision and gave him a copy of what had been submitted previously. Next day (Ironically 8/1/07 the 261st anniversary of the proscription) I had a no from my CEO.

I stewed on that because I work with people who come to work in flip flops, torn t-shirts, torn sweat pants. I went to HR to ask if I have any right of appeal. The HR director immediately whipped out the agency grievance policy and made me a copy. It said I had three days to file a grievance and the policy was very positive. Employees have the right to grieve. Have the right to grieve discrimination, and there is to be no retribuition for a grievance. Things are to be kept informal and resolved at the lowest level.

So on day three I submitted my grievance (I don't like that word, the spirit was of appeal) to my supervisor. The process would normally take it to the CEO, then to the personnel committee of the board of directors, then to the full board of directors.

A couple hours later I had an email from my supervisor saying he spoke with the CEO who told him he was "too busy" to deal with this, that "Ron can wear whatever he friggin' wants, greivance resolved."

The tone of the response has led me to continue wearing pants to work. My CEO was off Friday and I am off today. Know that he, as I, am very busy. Until I get clarification I'm feeling dismissed. The old supervisor cautioned me against going back to kilts, even with that hollow permission, saying it'd be like an open sore to the CEO. Um, does the policy mean what it says or not?

The old supervisor said he felt kilts were unprofessional and that I was just seeking attention. So, I told him about my PBH problems mentioned on the kilts and aging thread. He understood that since he's in his 70s.

The other common response is that our little town isn't ready for kilts. Yet our little town is a bastion of diversity. We host tourists from around the world and many ethnic cultures live here. We have a Thai restaurant and a Sushi bar! If this town is ready for a sushi bar its ready for kilts.

So, guess this week it'll shake out one way or another.

Not really seeking guidance or feedback. Just seeing all the posts referencing my situation thought maybe an update would be appropriate.

Ron

[MacTavishOfJapan]

Good luck Ron, hope it all works out for the best.

[Mr. MacDougall]

Thanks for the update, Ron; I'd been wondering where things stood.

[McMurdo]

Thanks for the update Ron, I hope it works out favorably for you, hopefully they can get a definite answer for you soon, so you can go back to kilts full time.

I think it's sad that you work with people who think ripped t shirts and sweat pants are appropriate and yet you can not wear a kilt, best of luck, I will be looking for news on the resolution to this.

[Luckey]

I agree with McMurdo. It seems that you can go to work and see people dressed so shabby, yet you want to wear a sharp looking kilt and most likely dress up the whole place only to get a response like that. Go figure!

[Archangel]

You have an email that says that? Print it and store it: you have permission. It's not clean, it's not pretty and it's not something that anybody wants seen by more professional eyes.

From what you've said here, you've followed the process, and you have the answer. How they handle the process on the other side of the fence is up to them. They did give you an answer.

If there is any conflict, your supervisor is the one that will be in trouble. He's actually not in a safe position, I would hope he has documentation of that message from the CEO (probably not, that's what separates them from regular weasels).

This is the kind of work I do in a union setting and I'm trained to work through the different processes that are in place (Human Rights, Grievance steps) . From what you've said here, you have won.

So, if you were a worker I was representing, I would revisit that line in your story where you mention the old supervisor. How long ago was that caution? Were you wearing a kilt then? How does that apply now?

The bottom line is you asked permission to do something and they gave it to you.

The piece of information we don't have is how safe do you feel with this. A lot of times I'm telling people that we will win years down the road but they need money now. That's the position you're in having followed the process and printed out the answer. I'm not able to look out at your world from behind your eyes.

The other advice I have to give the workers in a similar situation is that, having asked, you sort of have to follow through. You can't make them give you a cleaner answer, you've already got a yes. I know it's not the way you'd want it, it is a rude response. However, the ball is in your court now. They're not going to revisit the question. It's now a question of your credibility.

[Mael Coluim]

My bonnet is off to you. Thanks for sharing your story.

[emolas]

"Ron can wear whatever he friggin' wants, greivance resolved."

LOL, that's hilarious but also permission. To continue wearing trousers after gaining permission (albeit offhanded) to wear kilts would infer that you are not that serious in your conviction. At least it seems that way to me.

[flyv65]

I've followed your threads on this over the months and continue to marvel at your control and level-headedness in this situation. I've sometimes thought that you took a more "delicate" approach than myself, but I've come to suspect that you being on-the-ground, have a more realistic appreciation of the situation. We're pulling for you Ron-and I wish you well and trust your judgement.

Bryan...sometimes I'm not too trustworthy, myself...

[DTrain]

Rock on. Wear the kilt. If they decide to later come after you, it sounds like you are covered. If you have any attorney friends, might want one to write a letter noting that kilts are not specifically prohibited, and you have an email stating it was OK. That should not be threatening, but just to remind your CEO that you have your rights and know how to exercise them if necessary.