I've noticed something recently that I really don't get. At restaurants, anyone who is working that also happens to have any sort of visible piercing other than pierced ears always has a band-aid over the piercing. Nose, lip, eyebrow, whatever, there's a band-aid covering it up. What's the purpose of this? Is it supposed to hide this from the customers? It makes it look like much of the staff has horrific facial wounds that won't heal. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd much rather see a tiny silver stud in the side of somone's nose than have to worry about whether their leprosy is spreading back in the kitchen.
The only option I can think of other than simply trying to "hide" the piercing is that someone has decided that they are a health risk. This makes absolutely no sense, since (a) they shouldn't be and (b) if they were, there should be band-aids on the ears of most of the other employees. Does anyone actually know for sure why this is done? (I haven't really looked around enough to know if this is a uniform practice or just at certain places.)
June 11, 2007
It's Only a Flesh Wound
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10 comments:
I too have wondered this.
Maybe they have an infection just then, and don't want to put you off your lunch?
Pus tends to do that.
I don't know how people can go around with open wounds all over their bodies, with pieces of metal in them.
Hell, I don't even wear a watch or a ring. Feel too encumbered.
I don't know about everywhere, but employees at some places use the band-aid move to get around their company's "no visable piercings" policy.
I've also seen it to cover them over since they're not supposed to be "visible."
Either I'm not paying close enough attention, or K and I are eating at boring, relatively un-pierced restaurants. I'll keep an eye out for this practice in the future.
I must eat at extremely hip places because our servers all have piercings and they never cover them. I don't recall seeing the band-aid thing anywhere. However, I was at Nordstrom's the other day (frou frou/hoity-toity department store if you don't know) and all the guys working in the women's shoe dept had spikes and hoops and all kinds of funky piercings on their faces. It seemed really out of place at a store where old ladies shop. But that's just me, I guess.
It depends on your state's policy and what your health department and the company will allow. Florida could care less. In Alabama, they all come out. Obviously in Michigan, Looking like you are part of the "I can't shave" club is OK.
Pardon me, Grammar Buffs - that should be "Florida couldn't care less." Hee Hee ^^
Ok, if it is a company thing that says they are not allowed, it makes some sense. I personally don't usually care and am just as likely to be put off by a billion piercings in an ear as a few in the face, but I can see that they might consider it bad for business. If it is done by the heatlth department or by the company for supposed health reasons, I'm really bothered by it because it's quite simply stupid. One could possibly (and I stress possibly) make an argument for new still healing piercings, but for the most part, it is either ignorance of an attempt at justifying a dress code with health concerns. And as anyone who has been into a restaurant knows, there are plenty of other health issues to be concerned with.
They don't care what's hanging in or out of you in NM, but I do know that Starbucks does not allow visible tattoos. Honestly, I don't find it attractive to be able to visibly see thru my waiter's ears but there it is.
I've actually noticed lately that more and more places employ people with piercings (and don't require them to be covered with a bandaid). I think it's a good trend.
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