Employers can ban employees from having visible tattoos
Employers are entitled to insist on particular standards of
appearance for their staff. However, such standards should be set
out in written workplace policies.
Job applicant denied employment due to visible tattoo
A 21-year-old woman applying for work as an airline flight
attendant was told she was suitable for the job, but then the
interviewer noticed she had a small tattoo of an anchor on her
ankle.
She was told that she could not be employed, as the airline had
a no-tattoo policy, but that she could come back if she had the
tattoo removed.
Employers have a right to demand particular standards of
appearance
According to the National
Health and Medical Research Council, one in seven Australians
has a tattoo. However, not all employers are prepared to allow
their staff to have visible tattoos.
