HRRecruitingAlert.com » policy

‘We’ll hire you if get a haircut’ — religious bias?

Sam Narisi — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:04:01 +0000

Here’s a recent case that shows the importance of interview documentation.

A Rastafarian applied for a job as a security guard. During his interview, the hiring manager told him he’d have to cut his dreadlocks to comply with the company’s safety policy.

That’s where things got tricky. The applicant claims he said he could not cut his hair because of his religious beliefs. But according to the company, he simply said he would not cut his hair.

Either way, the applicant didn’t get the job, and he sued the company for religious discrimination.

The company asked the judge to throw out the case, arguing it didn’t know the man’s refusal to comply with the policy had anything to do with religion. But without a solid set of interview notes from the hiring manager, the court didn’t buy that side of the story.

The case sent to a jury to decide whether religion was discussed in the interview. You know what that means: a long, costly trial, or an expensive settlement.

Cite: Xodus v. The Wackenhut Corporation

Lighter side: City adds underwear to dress code

Sam Narisi — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:00:12 +0000

A Florida city recently made some drastic changes to its employee dress code. Two new items worth noting:

Employees must now wear underwear and deodorant.

The dress code is part of a new, three-page policy the city council of Brooksville hopes will increase professionalism, Tampa Bay Online reports. Revealing clothing and body piercings are now expressly banned, and employees are told to observe “strict personal hygiene,” including the deodorant clause.

Written under the heading of “unacceptable attire”: “the observable lack of undergarments and exposed undergarments.”

The underwear mandate and the other rules were approved by a council vote of 4-1, with the city’s mayor, oddly enough, as the lone dissenter. He said the requirement “takes away freedom of choice.”

Lighter side: Could your handbook use some more profanity?

Sam Narisi — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:36 +0000

No one likes working with jerks. But here’s a company that’s taking serious measures to keep them away.

New hires at SuccessFactors, a software firm based in San Mateo, CA, are required to sign off on a list of 15 corporate principles.

Number 15: “I will not be an a–hole.”

CEO Lars Dalgaard implemented that policy after years of corporate experience taught him that jerks (as we’ll call them) “stifle performance,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

As for the harsh language, he said the rule would be easier to ignore without it.

What also makes the rule tough to ignore is that Dalgaard isn’t afraid to enforce it. One time, he took a group of job candidates out to lunch at a local restaurant. Those who weren’t friendly to the waitstaff weren’t brought back to continue the interview process.

Ever worked at a company that needed a policy on jerks? Do you think a rule like Dalgaard’s is good for a company or just an impractical gimmick? Let us know your opinion in the comments section.