Post: #1

Quote:Job-seekers claim looks discrimination



WRONG PACKAGE: Maya Croll-Wright, 19, believes that the way she looks, rather than who she is, is playing against her in the quest for a job.

In the first of a five-part series on discrimination and employment, Cecile Meier talks to job-seekers struggling because of their appearance.

Maya Croll-Wright, 19, has several years of experience in hospitality, strong motivation and an outgoing personality. Yet, she struggles to find a job. Why? She has tattoos, blue hair and describes herself as overweight.

"I have had countless job interviews after applying for every job I can find. But as soon as they see me in person, it all goes downhill."

In the past two months, Croll-Wright says she had about 20 interviews for jobs in cafes, shops and restaurants around Christchurch. She has been rejected from every one.

On the phone, employers are enthusiastic, she says. But when the interview comes "they look me up and down". Some told her she was "not conservative enough", others asked whether she understood nutrition.

Another young woman, who asked not to be named, has solid experience in hospitality and management.

The 21-year-old describes herself as overweight, with tattoos and bright purple hair.

She has been looking for a part-time job to finance her studies for the past two months and had about five interviews in shops and hospitality outlets.

"All of them pretty much said they were happy to hire me as long as I dyed my hair."

But she says she would like to keep her hair colour because she does a bit of plus-size modelling "and my purple hair shows up really nicely in the photographs".

She says she will keep looking for a job that allows her to keep her style, but might end up dyeing it if she does not find anything.

But is it legal for employer to discriminate against prospective employees because they have blue hair and tattoos?

Taylor Shaw partner and employment law specialist Kathryn Dalziel says yes.

"Employers can discriminate on weight, colour of hair and visibility of tattoos."

The answer is less clear when it comes to cultural tattoos, she says.

Air New Zealand last year refused to hire a woman who had a traditional Maori tattoo on her forearm.

"She was told to wear long-sleeved shirts to cover it up and that was held to be discriminatory conduct by the Human Rights Tribunal," Dalziel says.

Discrimination based on weight has so far not been considered a breach, but could be considered a cultural or a health issue, she says.

In general, as long as the discrimination is not based on gender, race, colour or ethnicity, it does not breach any laws.

"If you want to brand your business, you can prefer the better-looking."

Burger Fuel Christchurch franchise co-owner Malte Herzhoff says he checks potential employees' fingernails. Tattoos and being overweight, however, are "absolutely fine with us".

"A lot of our employees have visible tattoos. They are young people and the tattoos have meaning to them.

"It's more about the attitude than appearance. What I might find attractive, my customers won't find attractive. I'm not the one to judge that."

A Christchurch cafe owner, who asked not to be named, says candidates need to present well.

He says weight is not an issue, but tattoos can make him uneasy.

"It's not a black and white thing. If they have tattoos from their fingers all the way up their arms, it's not great presentation for me."

Source

Entitlement, solipsism yada yada

Post: #2

Too fat; Didn't read

Post: #3

I saw the picture and gave her a three minute sympathy laugh.

Post: #4

Sad part is, thats in the top half of NZ women.

Post: #5

But she's a rare and delicate flower freely expressing her individuality? How can they not cherish her?
Hahaha! Sorry, I tried to put myself in her fat clown shoes, and that was the best that I could do.

Post: #6

From a potential employer ...

"Dear Fat Bitch with three names,
You and your heavyset crew of misfits might think your cool, individual, unique and oh so special snowflakes. But I'm running a business and your disgusting appearance, coupled with gooey excess flesh and stomach churning tats will scare little kids. You will horrify and disgust my customers. So, fuck you, fix yourself up and try again."

Post: #7

2/10 would not hire.

Quote:"I have had countless job interviews after applying for every job I can find. But as soon as they see me in person, it all goes downhill."

When normal people realize this pattern, they change their appearance or work on their interview skills. But not her. She is the special snowflake to whom all must bow in judgement-free worship. What a cunt.

Quote:she does a bit of plus-size modelling

   

Post: #8

Once upon a time I worked in a supermarket and the tattooed/pierced chicks were actually the best at customer service due to their easygoing nature. They were however just a bit overweight - not land whale size.

It will be very unlikely that the chick in the original post will ever get a job in hospitality because part of working in a kitchen/waitressing is moving quickly - I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule but being so fat makes it difficult to manouevre through customers/past coworkers etc..

Post: #9

21?! At first glance I thought she was middle aged! Seriously.

Post: #10

Somebody call up IRT, we got a white woman for him!

Post: #11

(02-17-2014 12:22 AM)draguer Wrote:  On the phone, employers are enthusiastic, she says. But when the interview comes "they look me up and down". Some told her she was "not conservative enough", others asked whether she understood nutrition.

That's awesome.

I want to buy those employers a drink.

Quote:But she says she would like to keep her hair colour because she does a bit of plus-size modelling "and my purple hair shows up really nicely in the photographs".

See what kind of outrageous delusions these whale-sized modeling firms are creating? They're doing far more harm to these girls than good...

Let alone what they're doing to the rest of society.

Quote:She says she will keep looking for a job that allows her to keep her style, but might end up dyeing it if she does not find anything.

Wow! Now there's an idea...

Quote:"She was told to wear long-sleeved shirts to cover it up and that was held to be discriminatory conduct by the Human Rights Tribunal," Dalziel says.

I don't know.

This is kind of dumb too. As long as our actions match our ancestors, we get to skip being accountable for them and get special treatment?

The world has moved on. I respect old traditions and yeah people should have the choice to maintain them.

But I don't think employers should be forced to hire them when the traditions go against their usual hiring policies.

Should I be allowed to wear a skirt to work just because I'm part Scottish. Or do tribal allowances only go to non-white tribes?

(or maybe it's location-independent - as in tribes indigenous to the area? Serious question about how it typically goes around the world)

Quote:Discrimination based on weight has so far not been considered a breach, but could be considered a cultural or a health issue, she says.

A win for fat-shamers, indeed. But it should be considered an aesthetic issue too. No one wants to see that shit. It's depressing.

Not to mention the attitude problems of a person who is going through constant mood swings because they are so physically unhealthy and insecure.

Quote:"If you want to brand your business, you can prefer the better-looking."

Quote:If they have tattoos from their fingers all the way up their arms, it's not great presentation for me."

Ya think?

Look, I have a tattoo that's pretty visible, though I can cover it up if I dress a bit more formal. I also used to have multiple piercings in my face.

The difference is I accepted those as MY decisions. I purposely kept my tattoos in places they could be covered, to keep options somewhat open, but I never envision working in a formal business environment. The way a lot of these people expect society to cater to every whim and attention-whoring fancy they embrace is fucking outrageous.

When you decide to get tatted up, hang metal from your face, or wear your hair blue, part of that is supposed to include accepting that you're purposely differentiating yourself from the mainstream, and are thus...treated differently.

It's not rocket science. Your seek out more liberal employers. You gravitate toward careers where it's not a big deal (freelancing comes to mind...).

Are you anti-establishment or not, you fat pussy?

Post: #12

(02-17-2014 06:04 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  Should I be allowed to wear a skirt to work just because I'm part Scottish.

Probably a bad example. Blue-hairs of this one's sort would no doubt back me in seething crowds if I started wearings skirts and was shamed for it.

Post: #13

Shes crying because she is discriminated against- she chose to do this to herself. Stop blaming others

If our society keeps going down this path you'll have stupid people complaining they were intelligence discriminated when they don't get a job

Post: #14

Just wait - feminists will push to make weight a protected class, just like gender, race and ethnicity.

Post: #15

She's applied to service and retail jobs with blue hair?

And she's curious why these customer-facing jobs would choose a more 'normal' looking candidate?

Post: #16

(02-17-2014 08:47 AM)philly22 Wrote:  Shes crying because she is discriminated against- she chose to do this to herself. Stop blaming others

If our society keeps going down this path you'll have stupid people complaining they were intelligence discriminated when they don't get a job

That's called Affirmative Action and it's official policy of the US government.

Post: #17

She's got a hyphenated name, that = damaged.

Post: #18

[quote='draguer' pid='656178' dateline='1392614542']

Quote:Job-seekers claim looks discrimination

Post: #19

^that's her!

Post: #20

If she can't get a job due to her appearance imagine how hard it must be to get a date or a husband. Lack of employment should be her first clue.

She can be the smartest most talented woman in the world. It won't help you in the corporate world.

I'm lucky I can get away with having long hair in my work. But then again you don't have to be pretty to be an Engineer. Haha.

Post: #21

I've openly told people i wouldn't hire them if there were visible tatoos on them. I judge based on looks and discriminate based on it too.

Post: #22

This is just hearsay, but I was told by a homeschooled girl from New Zealand that it's very difficult to get a job there (at least in entry level positions in local businesses) unless you've been traditionally homeschooled. Can any native New Zealanders confirm this?

As far as local hiring here in the States, I would take an average traditional homeschooler over a government-raised product any day. Better attitudes, more mature, smarter, more humble, more trainable and generally just better people. I wouldn't touch that blue-haired hog or her armies of psychological equivalents with a 50-foot pole. They are destroyed people.

Post: #23

(02-17-2014 12:15 PM)Sombro Wrote:  

Would not bang.

(02-17-2014 12:15 PM)Sombro Wrote:  

Would bang.

Assuming its female, of course. No homo.

Post: #24

(02-17-2014 12:44 PM)Sawyer Wrote:  This is just hearsay, but I was told by a homeschooled girl from New Zealand that it's very difficult to get a job there (at least in entry level positions in local businesses) unless you've been traditionally homeschooled. Can any native New Zealanders confirm this?

As far as local hiring here in the States, I would take an average traditional homeschooler over a government-raised product any day. Better attitudes, more mature, smarter, more humble, more trainable and generally just better people.

In my experience that isn't true. Homeschooling is not very common here and having worked in those sort of jobs during university, I never met anyone that had been home-schooled (or met them at university).

The school system is generally not held in that regard here although cracks are starting to appear. If anything the perception would more likely be that home-schooled kids have probably had less social exposure and might lack people skills.