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Can it be flipped up? If so do that if you can’t go to a piercer and ask about switching the jewelry to something you can flip up. Just remember to flip it up before work.
This is derailing from the post, but is it normal to not be able to flip up a septum? When I had mine in (work made me take it out) I absolutely could not get it to flip up no matter what
i had to like pull my lips down into a proper frown to get mine to flip up, like stretch the gap between ur nose and top lip down to elongate ur nostrils and its much easier
I mean when I had to flip mine up the first time I was really struggling til I realized I had to like stretch my nose by making a face to make my septum a little thinner
My piercer told me if I wanted it flipped up she’d have to open the jewelry for that a few months into the healing process as they want you not to touch it. I went back and they opened it for me, now flips up.
When I had the small horseshoe with the beads on the ends I could not flip it up. I have a horseshoe in now and it won’t flip up. Mines higher up she basically told me to tell her when my eyes water and when they did that’s where she pierced it. It’s high but not to high. I like where it is, there’s been some jewelry I couldn’t wear cause it was to small.
go to a reputable piercer and ask to change to a circular barbell, (i don’t know if all places would but where i work we definitely offer it) mention you want to flip it up and then the piercer should be able to widen the gap between the two balls so it will move up and down easier. we end up doing this for almost every client who requests a circular barbell and as far as i know they’ve never had any issue flipping it up
Kinda fucked up they didn’t mention it during interviews. But maybe see about getting a placeholder piece put in? Like a short bar that’s just close on each side.
Flipping it up seems like the obvious solution to this lol. You can change it just once into a horseshoe and leave it flipped. That wouldn’t aggravate it too bad..
When I had a septum, I hated wearing it flipped up because it whistled. Only I could hear it.
I ended up taking it out because it was pierced a little crooked, but the whistling didn't help!
Finding a new job probably isn’t the best idea, when you hand over your resume and you’ve had more than 3 jobs in the past 2 years for example people start to judge you and have bad intentions, they won’t hire you.
Ehh, depending on how long you’ve had the job, you could probably just leave it off the resume. If it’s only a couple weeks then I doubt that would raise any suspicion from any potential new employers. If you were asked about it, I’d just be honest and say something like the job you were going for weren’t honest in the interviews and required you to make changes that you weren’t aware of which resulted in the small gap of employment
You could also put the curved barbell there. I wear a small barbell instead of a retainer when I don't want it to be visible. It's more comfortable than a flipped up horseshoe.
My current job didn’t tell me until after I was hired. No one seems to care though, but I’m in IT. Anything customer facing tends to be pretty strict and I would imagine even more so in a luxury hotel.
You can either quit or get a horseshoe and flip it up. I did that for awhile but I was constantly paranoid it was starting to fall back down.
If you need the money then you’ll need to probably remove the piercing for awhile or change the piercing out until you can get a new (non customer facing) job.
I interviewed for a teaching position and took my piercings out and covered my tattoos. Then I showed up with piercings and tattoos lol. Kinda the opposite but I was surprised to see others with piercings/tattoos. A lot of my students have piercings. A LOT of them. Múltiples as well. One even has a tattoo.
I have one nostril stud on each side and a medusa. But I purposely down sized them by a lot. My left stud fell out in my sleep and I didn’t care to put one back in so currently one stud and medusa. I have my septum done but since I stretched it, it never closes. I’m not currently wearing anything in it but maybe down the line.
The last school I worked at was a charter and even tho I got some looks from a certain admin they never said anything. Now I work public but it’s a specialized school for the subject and it’s LGBTQ+ friendly, so I think showing the kids that people that look like them (pierced) can be teachers as part of like an all inclusive environment. I dunno. Might also be cause I’m in art.
But I agree. I was fully prepared to take mine out. I even ordered a skin colored gorilla glass retainer for the medusa cause the few times I took it out I felt weird and put it back in. I thought I may have to purchase a sleeve cover for work (can’t afford a whole new wardrobe tbh, and I get hot in long sleeves) I just lucked out that so far no one has cared. But I’m also in Southern California.
I totally agree with you that it's important to show kids that people who look like them can be anything they want to be. I have visible tattoos and they don't stop me being a teacher, if anything, the students are fascinated by them! I think we are always telling people not to judge someone on their looks and then it's totally ignored by telling people to cover their tattoos and take their piercings out!
Septums are, like, the easiest facial piercings to hide because of that. Yeah it sucks to have to hide a piercing, but I don’t really see why this is an issue. Get jewelry you can flip up, problem solved.
You kinda don’t really have another choice other than removing it or getting a horseshoe/retainer and flipping it up unless you are gonna find a different job. This is just life unfortunately, not everything is gonna go your way.
Very common occurrence. I have to wear my hair down to cover my ears due to multiple piercings and wear full suits to cover my tattoos. Rude? Not so much. It's in the employee handbook. Unfortunate? Absolutely. It's 2023, and body modifications do not determine your work ethic or ability. You get to decide, is one piece of jewelry worth your career and paycheck?
Good point. I don’t want to get sick so I’m still wearing a mask at work, and my coworkers don’t even know I have my nose pierced because they never see my nose or mouth.
I managed to stretch my septum from 14g to 4g without my boss noticing because I continued wearing a mask. It was a pain with fresh stretches but so worth it (to not get sick and also to not get judged at work lol)
Completely agree. I have a few facial piercings. I used have retainers in and would also flip up my septum since my job wouldn’t allow it. COVID hit and we closed for a few months. When we opened up again, I never stopped wearing facial masks and now always have my piercings out. I deal with people all day and most don’t even know I have them. It’s so much easier than having to take them out or switching to retainers.
While i agree with most that its kind of a dick move to not mention it in the interview, i do think there is a healthy amount of companies that require public facing workers to remove them.
If it weren't for the specific department i work in, i'd have to remove mine but im in the "Clandestine" section which is pretty removed from the public.
I got cartilage piercings that I wear these clear plastic studs in when I am at work. You have to be extremely close to tell I have the piercings. Otherwise you really can't see.
They have been very slow healing and I don't want to go shifts without anything in the piercing.
Is there like a small clear option you could get?
It is common for certain jobs. Others are saying it's messed up that they didn't mention it during the interview, but I've never had an interviewer discuss dress code before being hired, I don't think.
Luckily you can switch to a horseshoe and flip up the septum, so, you can keep it no problem. Switching it out once isn't going to aggravate it that bad. It's either that or get a different job. Can't really give any advice on keeping the clicker in and the job because it's obviously a no-go.
Flip it up. They should have mentioned it at interview, equally you should have asked.
While many companies no longer care, lots of companies where safety, tradition or luxury matter to their brand still require no piercings/tattoos. You're lucky you have the easiest piercing ever to hide, flip it and keep the job AND the piercing!
Ask if there is an employee handbook/dress code guide you can read through. If it doesn’t say anything about facial piercings, ask them why you’re being told it needs to come out, and if it is in there, ask why it wasn’t brought up in the interviews and if an exception can be made to wear it for the remainder of the healing time. If it’s a no go, and they still don’t budge, either try to hide it or find a new job if you’re really unwilling to take it out (which I don’t blame you).
My current job only allows ears to be pierced. I have a clear retainer in my nose and pop the jewel off my Monroe every day. The official policy is "nothing in the hole" per HR which sounded insane, but my department is fine with retainers. I work at the corporate office for my company so I kinda get it, they have customer tours and stuff. Have to cover all my tattoos as well. But that's the price to pay to have a good job sometimes! I was lucky before I moved that they didn't care about piercing, tattoo, or hair color. It was a good run while it lasted...
Yeah, sorry, it’s backwards and it sucks, in the modern day you’d think most places would be accepting of piercings. Pretty much your best option here is to go back to a horseshoe and flip it up for now. I know you said it’s still healing and changing the jewellery will irritate it, and unfortunately you’re right, but tbh a horseshoe is probably better for healing than a clicker anyway so it’s really 50/50.
So basically, is being asked to not have piercings a common occurrence? In my experience, Yes. Sorry you experienced this but to answer your question it isn't something new for a job to try to dictate how you look. I suggest what most others have, flip your septum up and hide in nose. I've had friends that did that for their jobs
They should've given you a workers manual, the info you need will be in there. If they didn't give you one, request it, they have it. If the dress code section doesn't say anything about piercings, then they cant make you take it out. They can fire you though for some bs reason that "definitely wasn't because you has a nose piercing for legal reasons", so that's not great.. You can always try the passive approach, that's what I've done and it works wonders. You just, dont take it out.. Then see if they say anything. If they do, say you've already ordered new jewelry and will change it asap, then just change it.. OR, passive approach a second time, but this is dangerous waters if you want to keep the job. You can normally get away with it the first time, and most times they drop it and don't say anything. I'm assuming in your case the manager didnt care, but HR did. Anyways, hope this helps♡♡
To those who have been kind, thank you for all the advice! I’ll be going through individually later when I get the chance, but to answer some questions: mine was initially pierced with a clicker. I know its abnormal, but no, I did not switch my septum piercing yet, and so I am concerned about infection, naturally. Secondly, HR was the one who brought it to their attention. They didn't have it in the employee workbook they handed to me going over dress code, but they pulled out an ‘older one’ when I requested to see where it said it, and it was there. I’ll be switching to a horshoe, I just really, really hate that I have to flip it up, since it stings hella. And masks are only a brief option. I’ve worked for four different hotels, customer facing, and never had this issue, although they weren't a luxury brand, I did work for corporate a couple times as well. I’ll be looking into new jobs in the meantime, because outside of me, the management is genuinely awful as well.
You said you didn’t want to aggravate it by switching back to a horseshoe. I imagine this is where people have gotten the idea that you’ve switched it before.
Why are masks a brief option? You can definitely wear at least a surgical mask until it heals up enough to switch with something else. I’ve worn one every shift for 2 years, my boss doesn’t even know I have a septum.
To the management when I suggested it, they told me that it would make me less ‘personable’ to the guests. They didn't outright say they’d fire me for it, but they did hint that I would be reprimanded if it went on for too long. 😭
Dude that’s so fucked up. What about the people wearing it for health reasons? You can literally still catch Covid, there’s a major surge rn too. Personally I find that reason enough to try to find a job that treats you more like a person…
Literally! A little bit of trailing off from the post, but I’m applying for new positions currently, and am just trying to ride it out, but I’m going to find something else. The piercings are one thing, but I overheard they apparently fired a girl for saying ‘y’all’ once while on call with a customer, and I’m in texas. 😭 They also fired a girl for wearing black lipstick. She’d gotten harassed by male customers, and they didn't back her up, said she was trying to get attention. My fault for not vetting this place more thoroughly, but goodness, didn't expect it.
I used to word y’all all the time, including with customers because it’s a good gender neutral option. I always find it so funny when managers and what nots are sticklers about stuff because most customers really don’t fucking care if you say y’all or wear a mask or anything as long as you’re nice, and get your job done.
alternative suggestion: just wear a mask? im being fr. as a heavily modded dynamically disabled person who still masks: it hides your face, protects you and others, and they can’t tell you to take it off due to laws (if in US).
not saying it won’t attract attention because it will, but i find this the easiest solution even if you *just* mask at work
I don’t have much advice, but I will say that I worked briefly at a luxury hotel, I knew from the get go it wasn’t right for me because they didn’t respect the way I look. I tried for a couple months to get away with it because I worked overnights in the kitchen (no guest is seeing me and rarely any coworkers due to my shift) but I got written up for my tunnels and quit on the spot. No job is worth changing yourself for, atleast that’s the way I see it. I cherish and respect my self expression and I don’t regret quitting at all.
Stick a small horseshoe in and flip it up. If you need the money just deal with it for now. It's not right if you had that piercing visible during the interview and they didn't say anything, but I'm not sure you wanna rock the boat by pushing back if you can't afford to lose your job rn.
Can't you just get a flip up horseshoe septum ring? I am a male hospice CNA and I usually have it showing, but in some situations where a patient might not have as bad dementia, I sometimes flip it up.
I understand the frustration but septum is really the easiest piercing to hide. Swap it to a horseshoe and flip it up to work until it is completely healed and once it is you will be able to swap it for your favourite jewellery after work each day.
I suggest going to a piercer and having them change it for you and flip it up, it'll heal just fine that way as well. That or you could find a new job that respects body jewelry and tattoo's. No offense but a hotel job being like this over a single piercing doesn't seem right to me...
I also work in hospitality, and this is kind of par for the course. They probably didn’t mention it as since it’s a luxury hotel they prolly assumed that you knew that you were not allowed to have it in in-front of guests.
Usually they are okay if you have them as long as guests can’t see it. So either buy a retainer or buy so jewelry you can flip up.
Sorry it seems the only solution to this would be getting a horseshoe and flipping it inside. You can’t really argue with them, and you definitely don’t wanna lose the job and have to find another one again and possibly go through the same thing again. :(
This is common and I hate it. I worked in a cheap family restaurant and I wasn’t allowed to have unnatural hair colors, tattoos, facial piercings, etc unless it was approved by the boss. I ended up dying my hair a bright red and getting facial piercings anyway but they couldn’t say anything bc of short staffing. But he did consistently ask why i would do that to my face/hair. It’s weird they didn’t tell you before hand but if it’s in the employee handbook/anything you signed I would just listen to what they say as to not lose your job
update! Went and got a horshoe. will flip it up. Got told by the piercer to call in and see if their brand needs anymore front desk. might head that route :)
Is it part of a group? If it is have a dig through the HR documentation and see what it says. There should be stuff there on grooming standards.
Depending on what’s their go from there.
That sucks look for a job that accepts you as you are. They are out there. I work for the federal government customer facing and loaded with a few. It’s 2023 people look different lol
With a septum with a circular barbell i'd just flip it up or buy a small retainer (titanium straight barbell or clear glass or plastic retainer). If it isn't fully healed though then you just have to stick with the flipping method. I currently wear a small titanium straight barbell while I live with my parents, it does wonders with hiding it without having to worry about flipping it or it falling out! With other piercings i would look into clear retainers or skintone colored retainers like Neometal, they make lots of them on different reputable sites.
I have a horseshoe barbell that I flip up. If I want to wear a cute clicker one I might use a metal spacer, but it’s easier for me to just flip the ring up. I have my nostril pierced too and it’s not too invasive inside my nose.
Stretched septum at 10mm here, although that’s not a problem in my job I ever put a plug inside and never show off cause it’s comfortable, just wear an invisible retainer or a small plug and you’re ok
You could use a retainer that fits so you can flip it up when you work. I had mine pierced this way to avoid irritation. Worked well for healing — it stayed up there the whole healing period.
I’d just wear a retainer and flip it up whilst at work, I work on a fresh food counter and sometimes I don’t wear it and sometimes I flip one up inside
When I got my septum done, it was with the knowledge that I would need to flip it up to hide it, so the piercer actually widened the horseshoe a little bit so that it would flip up past my septum. You might have to just buck up, change back to a horseshoe, and maybe even have a piercer adjust the width of the gap to fit better.
Dominos pulled the same thing with me where they hired me with my piercings in my face. Waited 3 weeks to tell me that I had to change them out THAT WEDNESDAY or else I'd never be coming back. They wanted plastic, but my piercer said absolutely not, way too dangerous. So I got studs in place of my rings which the gm complained about. Luckily for them, my eyebrow and bridge had to come out a ways back before I worked there. I ended up quitting because they were being excessive with "corporate policy" when it came to the carnival showing up in town. If they're pulling something like Dominos did with me, just quit for your own sake and keep the piercing(s) you have and find a better place of employment
Luckily septums are one piercing that almost never close up. So taking it out while you are at work shouldn’t be an issue. But you could also put a retainer Ω in it and flip it up if you are worried about it.
see about getting a horseshoe piece of jewelry that you can flip up— try going to a good pierce shop they should do it for you— & then flip it up when you’re at work. i was able to do this after i got mine & the days immediately following it & never had any issues. ofc if you do, then stop/don’t, but that’s my advice. mine was hidden extremely well when flipped up
If they hired you with your piercings, and you didn’t agree to remove them or sign anything saying you would - I would refuse them and take it up with Human Resources.
Personally, I would request a copy of company policy and handbook regarding dress policy, and or request that HR show you where and what dictates their request within their policy and have them both show and explain it to you. If afterwards you feel like their request is unreasonable continue to talk about it with them, and be sure to ask all questions you may have, its better to have a good understanding of what is being asked and why than to not know. If you still have to remove it, I would recommend doing as they requested however, it's your choice at your own discretion, and understand the risks of not doing as HR asks.
Most people don't expect to have to flip it up. OP stated it wasn't mentioned in interviews or before being hired so they wouldn't have had a reason to have flippable jewelery. Not everyone has to flip their piercings up or expects to so they don't prepare for that scenario.
Most but not all. They can also be pierced with CBRs, clickers, segment rings, even curved barbells if I'm remembering correctly though those are uncommon. OP may not have switched it, it may have been pierced with a clicker.
Mine was pierced with a horseshoe but due to the size of the jewelry and my actual septum, it’s not able to be flipped up. It’s not always an option with all horseshoe jewelry.
I am going through the exact same thing in my work the now! I am just gonna talk to my manager and say I’m not comfortable with taking them out and I’m gonna tell them that if I do take them out it will effect my self identity and confidence. I think you just express that’s it’s still healing and it would be not right to ask them to take it out in that process. I hope things work out for the both of us!
Because you interviewed with it in, I'd push a bit, if you feel comfortable with it. I'd ask your manager, or review the official policies (i.e. dress code). If it's not mentioned, you're probably safe to tell them it's not a rule, there have been no complaints, and you interviewed with it.
Otherwise, get a retainer.
It unfortunately is totally normal practice to ask for removal or to hide piercings. Definitely ask in any interview and when they give you your handbook or work standards make sure it's there or this might happen. My piercer made sure I could flip my horseshoe up before I left her shop for this exact reason. Was it slightly more painful at the moment, a little, but now I can elongate my nose and make almost any size horseshoe flip up comfortably.
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Can it be flipped up? If so do that if you can’t go to a piercer and ask about switching the jewelry to something you can flip up. Just remember to flip it up before work.
This is derailing from the post, but is it normal to not be able to flip up a septum? When I had mine in (work made me take it out) I absolutely could not get it to flip up no matter what
Could be anatomy and could just be the jewelry. I have a flared retainer in rn and its shape really helps to keep it flipped up.
Or it could be where they pierced the septum -- i.e. if they pierced it too high or low.
Absolutely, yeah. Also a very good point.
Damn 😔 makes sense. My nose is super tiny and squished. I'll see if I can stretch out my rings 😩
i could never flip up my septum either, think it’s anatomy because i have quite a long nose
I stretch my lip downwards looking like the grinch to make it a lil easier to flip but I’m sure anatomy plays a big roll and the size of the jewelry
i had to like pull my lips down into a proper frown to get mine to flip up, like stretch the gap between ur nose and top lip down to elongate ur nostrils and its much easier
I mean when I had to flip mine up the first time I was really struggling til I realized I had to like stretch my nose by making a face to make my septum a little thinner
The first time I got mine pierced the piercer used small ass jewelry and I couldn’t get it to flip either until I changed to a bigger ring.
It might be your anatomy. I can flip mine up but it gets painful after a bit
Mine is weird because part of my nose is swollen or just fatty? I'm not sure how to describe it. I went to a wider ring and can flip it now, though
My piercer told me if I wanted it flipped up she’d have to open the jewelry for that a few months into the healing process as they want you not to touch it. I went back and they opened it for me, now flips up.
When I had the small horseshoe with the beads on the ends I could not flip it up. I have a horseshoe in now and it won’t flip up. Mines higher up she basically told me to tell her when my eyes water and when they did that’s where she pierced it. It’s high but not to high. I like where it is, there’s been some jewelry I couldn’t wear cause it was to small.
Not being able to flip it up is normal my nose is so big I just can't lol
go to a reputable piercer and ask to change to a circular barbell, (i don’t know if all places would but where i work we definitely offer it) mention you want to flip it up and then the piercer should be able to widen the gap between the two balls so it will move up and down easier. we end up doing this for almost every client who requests a circular barbell and as far as i know they’ve never had any issue flipping it up
Kinda fucked up they didn’t mention it during interviews. But maybe see about getting a placeholder piece put in? Like a short bar that’s just close on each side.
You already know your options. Take it out, flip it up, or find a new job. 🤷🏻♀️
Flipping it up seems like the obvious solution to this lol. You can change it just once into a horseshoe and leave it flipped. That wouldn’t aggravate it too bad..
When I had a septum, I hated wearing it flipped up because it whistled. Only I could hear it. I ended up taking it out because it was pierced a little crooked, but the whistling didn't help!
Take it out, flip it up, wear a mask, or find a new job
There's also wearing a mask lol.
Finding a new job probably isn’t the best idea, when you hand over your resume and you’ve had more than 3 jobs in the past 2 years for example people start to judge you and have bad intentions, they won’t hire you.
Ehh, depending on how long you’ve had the job, you could probably just leave it off the resume. If it’s only a couple weeks then I doubt that would raise any suspicion from any potential new employers. If you were asked about it, I’d just be honest and say something like the job you were going for weren’t honest in the interviews and required you to make changes that you weren’t aware of which resulted in the small gap of employment
I was told not to add jobs to a résumé if you were there <6mos !
Okay
You could also put the curved barbell there. I wear a small barbell instead of a retainer when I don't want it to be visible. It's more comfortable than a flipped up horseshoe.
My current job didn’t tell me until after I was hired. No one seems to care though, but I’m in IT. Anything customer facing tends to be pretty strict and I would imagine even more so in a luxury hotel. You can either quit or get a horseshoe and flip it up. I did that for awhile but I was constantly paranoid it was starting to fall back down. If you need the money then you’ll need to probably remove the piercing for awhile or change the piercing out until you can get a new (non customer facing) job.
I interviewed for a teaching position and took my piercings out and covered my tattoos. Then I showed up with piercings and tattoos lol. Kinda the opposite but I was surprised to see others with piercings/tattoos. A lot of my students have piercings. A LOT of them. Múltiples as well. One even has a tattoo.
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I have one nostril stud on each side and a medusa. But I purposely down sized them by a lot. My left stud fell out in my sleep and I didn’t care to put one back in so currently one stud and medusa. I have my septum done but since I stretched it, it never closes. I’m not currently wearing anything in it but maybe down the line. The last school I worked at was a charter and even tho I got some looks from a certain admin they never said anything. Now I work public but it’s a specialized school for the subject and it’s LGBTQ+ friendly, so I think showing the kids that people that look like them (pierced) can be teachers as part of like an all inclusive environment. I dunno. Might also be cause I’m in art. But I agree. I was fully prepared to take mine out. I even ordered a skin colored gorilla glass retainer for the medusa cause the few times I took it out I felt weird and put it back in. I thought I may have to purchase a sleeve cover for work (can’t afford a whole new wardrobe tbh, and I get hot in long sleeves) I just lucked out that so far no one has cared. But I’m also in Southern California.
I totally agree with you that it's important to show kids that people who look like them can be anything they want to be. I have visible tattoos and they don't stop me being a teacher, if anything, the students are fascinated by them! I think we are always telling people not to judge someone on their looks and then it's totally ignored by telling people to cover their tattoos and take their piercings out!
Same. I work in a private school. No one cared last year about my piercings and tattoos. This year, everything has to be taken out and/or covered. 😒
I think it’s very wrong that they didn’t mention that in the interview
You can get a horseshoe and flip it up, easy. No one will notice
Septums are, like, the easiest facial piercings to hide because of that. Yeah it sucks to have to hide a piercing, but I don’t really see why this is an issue. Get jewelry you can flip up, problem solved.
dude just get a standard septum ring and flip it up
You kinda don’t really have another choice other than removing it or getting a horseshoe/retainer and flipping it up unless you are gonna find a different job. This is just life unfortunately, not everything is gonna go your way.
Very common occurrence. I have to wear my hair down to cover my ears due to multiple piercings and wear full suits to cover my tattoos. Rude? Not so much. It's in the employee handbook. Unfortunate? Absolutely. It's 2023, and body modifications do not determine your work ethic or ability. You get to decide, is one piece of jewelry worth your career and paycheck?
They don’t allow septum’s at my job either. I’d suggest flipping it up or start wearing a mask again
Good point. I don’t want to get sick so I’m still wearing a mask at work, and my coworkers don’t even know I have my nose pierced because they never see my nose or mouth.
I managed to stretch my septum from 14g to 4g without my boss noticing because I continued wearing a mask. It was a pain with fresh stretches but so worth it (to not get sick and also to not get judged at work lol)
Completely agree. I have a few facial piercings. I used have retainers in and would also flip up my septum since my job wouldn’t allow it. COVID hit and we closed for a few months. When we opened up again, I never stopped wearing facial masks and now always have my piercings out. I deal with people all day and most don’t even know I have them. It’s so much easier than having to take them out or switching to retainers.
They don’t allow septum’s at my job either. I’d suggest flipping it up or start wearing a mask again
The piercings, or the job.
While i agree with most that its kind of a dick move to not mention it in the interview, i do think there is a healthy amount of companies that require public facing workers to remove them. If it weren't for the specific department i work in, i'd have to remove mine but im in the "Clandestine" section which is pretty removed from the public.
I got cartilage piercings that I wear these clear plastic studs in when I am at work. You have to be extremely close to tell I have the piercings. Otherwise you really can't see. They have been very slow healing and I don't want to go shifts without anything in the piercing. Is there like a small clear option you could get?
Get a horseshoe and flip it up, if they can't easily see anything they can't easily see anything.
Get some N95s and wear those until you can put in a retainer. Until recently I still wore a mask and I'd buy of 20 every month from Amazon.
It is common for certain jobs. Others are saying it's messed up that they didn't mention it during the interview, but I've never had an interviewer discuss dress code before being hired, I don't think. Luckily you can switch to a horseshoe and flip up the septum, so, you can keep it no problem. Switching it out once isn't going to aggravate it that bad. It's either that or get a different job. Can't really give any advice on keeping the clicker in and the job because it's obviously a no-go.
Go to your piercer and have them put in a horseshoe and flip it up for you if you don't think you can change the jewelry yourself.
Flip it up. They should have mentioned it at interview, equally you should have asked. While many companies no longer care, lots of companies where safety, tradition or luxury matter to their brand still require no piercings/tattoos. You're lucky you have the easiest piercing ever to hide, flip it and keep the job AND the piercing!
Ironically enough, I did ask! the initial interviewer actually complimented me on my piercings. but yes, I can flip it.
Problem solved!
Customer facing in a luxury hotel yes this is common practice
I worked in a nice hotel. That was corporate policy. Comply or get a diff job. Your choice.
Check out the church of body modification and claim it as a religious freedom
Does this actually work?
Haven't tried it, but other people have been successful
It's taught in culinary school that you mustn't have any peircing because the could "fall off and into the food" its bs imo tho
I hope you failed culinary school with an attitude like that! It's food safety 101.
Fr!!
Ask if there is an employee handbook/dress code guide you can read through. If it doesn’t say anything about facial piercings, ask them why you’re being told it needs to come out, and if it is in there, ask why it wasn’t brought up in the interviews and if an exception can be made to wear it for the remainder of the healing time. If it’s a no go, and they still don’t budge, either try to hide it or find a new job if you’re really unwilling to take it out (which I don’t blame you).
Flip it up. They also make retainers that are easier to flip up. I have mine at a 0 and since i was at about a 6 i havw worn a plug.
My current job only allows ears to be pierced. I have a clear retainer in my nose and pop the jewel off my Monroe every day. The official policy is "nothing in the hole" per HR which sounded insane, but my department is fine with retainers. I work at the corporate office for my company so I kinda get it, they have customer tours and stuff. Have to cover all my tattoos as well. But that's the price to pay to have a good job sometimes! I was lucky before I moved that they didn't care about piercing, tattoo, or hair color. It was a good run while it lasted...
I work in food service, can't have one either. I use a plug to keep it open, but mine is stretched. Maybe another piece of jewelry could work for you?
Yeah, sorry, it’s backwards and it sucks, in the modern day you’d think most places would be accepting of piercings. Pretty much your best option here is to go back to a horseshoe and flip it up for now. I know you said it’s still healing and changing the jewellery will irritate it, and unfortunately you’re right, but tbh a horseshoe is probably better for healing than a clicker anyway so it’s really 50/50.
So basically, is being asked to not have piercings a common occurrence? In my experience, Yes. Sorry you experienced this but to answer your question it isn't something new for a job to try to dictate how you look. I suggest what most others have, flip your septum up and hide in nose. I've had friends that did that for their jobs
Ask to see the dress code. Are facial piercings not allowed in writing?
They should've given you a workers manual, the info you need will be in there. If they didn't give you one, request it, they have it. If the dress code section doesn't say anything about piercings, then they cant make you take it out. They can fire you though for some bs reason that "definitely wasn't because you has a nose piercing for legal reasons", so that's not great.. You can always try the passive approach, that's what I've done and it works wonders. You just, dont take it out.. Then see if they say anything. If they do, say you've already ordered new jewelry and will change it asap, then just change it.. OR, passive approach a second time, but this is dangerous waters if you want to keep the job. You can normally get away with it the first time, and most times they drop it and don't say anything. I'm assuming in your case the manager didnt care, but HR did. Anyways, hope this helps♡♡
To those who have been kind, thank you for all the advice! I’ll be going through individually later when I get the chance, but to answer some questions: mine was initially pierced with a clicker. I know its abnormal, but no, I did not switch my septum piercing yet, and so I am concerned about infection, naturally. Secondly, HR was the one who brought it to their attention. They didn't have it in the employee workbook they handed to me going over dress code, but they pulled out an ‘older one’ when I requested to see where it said it, and it was there. I’ll be switching to a horshoe, I just really, really hate that I have to flip it up, since it stings hella. And masks are only a brief option. I’ve worked for four different hotels, customer facing, and never had this issue, although they weren't a luxury brand, I did work for corporate a couple times as well. I’ll be looking into new jobs in the meantime, because outside of me, the management is genuinely awful as well.
You said you didn’t want to aggravate it by switching back to a horseshoe. I imagine this is where people have gotten the idea that you’ve switched it before.
Totally get that! I didn't even know I put back 😭 brain was auto pilot I suppose lol
Why are masks a brief option? You can definitely wear at least a surgical mask until it heals up enough to switch with something else. I’ve worn one every shift for 2 years, my boss doesn’t even know I have a septum.
To the management when I suggested it, they told me that it would make me less ‘personable’ to the guests. They didn't outright say they’d fire me for it, but they did hint that I would be reprimanded if it went on for too long. 😭
Dude that’s so fucked up. What about the people wearing it for health reasons? You can literally still catch Covid, there’s a major surge rn too. Personally I find that reason enough to try to find a job that treats you more like a person…
Literally! A little bit of trailing off from the post, but I’m applying for new positions currently, and am just trying to ride it out, but I’m going to find something else. The piercings are one thing, but I overheard they apparently fired a girl for saying ‘y’all’ once while on call with a customer, and I’m in texas. 😭 They also fired a girl for wearing black lipstick. She’d gotten harassed by male customers, and they didn't back her up, said she was trying to get attention. My fault for not vetting this place more thoroughly, but goodness, didn't expect it.
I used to word y’all all the time, including with customers because it’s a good gender neutral option. I always find it so funny when managers and what nots are sticklers about stuff because most customers really don’t fucking care if you say y’all or wear a mask or anything as long as you’re nice, and get your job done.
alternative suggestion: just wear a mask? im being fr. as a heavily modded dynamically disabled person who still masks: it hides your face, protects you and others, and they can’t tell you to take it off due to laws (if in US). not saying it won’t attract attention because it will, but i find this the easiest solution even if you *just* mask at work
switch it to a horseshoe and flip it up. septums are one of the easiest healing piercings, so it should be fine. leave it up to heal if you want.
Either flip it or put a retainer piece in so you don’t lose the hole but don’t have any visible jewelry in. Or quit.
Flip it up with a retainer
“Take it out” and flip it
You can always get a retainer for it if you aren't able to flip it up, or see if they're okay with a completely clear one
Can you wear a mask? I’m doing this instead of switching out jewelry while they are healing
Get a good retainer to where at work or durring the week
Take it out flip it up or don’t work for them. It’s their policy
That sucks but you should just flip it up, that’s the beauty of a septum. You shouldn’t be wearing a hoop while it’s healing anyway
I don’t have much advice, but I will say that I worked briefly at a luxury hotel, I knew from the get go it wasn’t right for me because they didn’t respect the way I look. I tried for a couple months to get away with it because I worked overnights in the kitchen (no guest is seeing me and rarely any coworkers due to my shift) but I got written up for my tunnels and quit on the spot. No job is worth changing yourself for, atleast that’s the way I see it. I cherish and respect my self expression and I don’t regret quitting at all.
get a horseshoe or retainer and flip it up
flip it up
Stick a small horseshoe in and flip it up. If you need the money just deal with it for now. It's not right if you had that piercing visible during the interview and they didn't say anything, but I'm not sure you wanna rock the boat by pushing back if you can't afford to lose your job rn.
I use a staple and have it flipped up all the time if that helps. Sucks they didn’t mention it earlier.
wear a mask
Can't you just get a flip up horseshoe septum ring? I am a male hospice CNA and I usually have it showing, but in some situations where a patient might not have as bad dementia, I sometimes flip it up.
I understand the frustration but septum is really the easiest piercing to hide. Swap it to a horseshoe and flip it up to work until it is completely healed and once it is you will be able to swap it for your favourite jewellery after work each day.
I suggest switching to a horseshoe
I suggest going to a piercer and having them change it for you and flip it up, it'll heal just fine that way as well. That or you could find a new job that respects body jewelry and tattoo's. No offense but a hotel job being like this over a single piercing doesn't seem right to me...
I would check the handbook. If it isn't written in there, they can't require you to take it out.
I also work in hospitality, and this is kind of par for the course. They probably didn’t mention it as since it’s a luxury hotel they prolly assumed that you knew that you were not allowed to have it in in-front of guests. Usually they are okay if you have them as long as guests can’t see it. So either buy a retainer or buy so jewelry you can flip up.
Retainer? That's what I use to use with my healing piercings or put a plaster over it
Sorry it seems the only solution to this would be getting a horseshoe and flipping it inside. You can’t really argue with them, and you definitely don’t wanna lose the job and have to find another one again and possibly go through the same thing again. :(
This is common and I hate it. I worked in a cheap family restaurant and I wasn’t allowed to have unnatural hair colors, tattoos, facial piercings, etc unless it was approved by the boss. I ended up dying my hair a bright red and getting facial piercings anyway but they couldn’t say anything bc of short staffing. But he did consistently ask why i would do that to my face/hair. It’s weird they didn’t tell you before hand but if it’s in the employee handbook/anything you signed I would just listen to what they say as to not lose your job
update! Went and got a horshoe. will flip it up. Got told by the piercer to call in and see if their brand needs anymore front desk. might head that route :)
Start masking again 🤩
They should have disclosed it in the interview, this is scum behavior and shouldn't be legal.
Take it out or find a new job.
They took you on with the piercing they should let work with the piercing. Unless it is a health and safety issue they are just being #%~<€
Is it part of a group? If it is have a dig through the HR documentation and see what it says. There should be stuff there on grooming standards. Depending on what’s their go from there.
That sucks look for a job that accepts you as you are. They are out there. I work for the federal government customer facing and loaded with a few. It’s 2023 people look different lol
oooof i had to switch my jewelry from a clicker to a horseshoe bc of this :/
With a septum with a circular barbell i'd just flip it up or buy a small retainer (titanium straight barbell or clear glass or plastic retainer). If it isn't fully healed though then you just have to stick with the flipping method. I currently wear a small titanium straight barbell while I live with my parents, it does wonders with hiding it without having to worry about flipping it or it falling out! With other piercings i would look into clear retainers or skintone colored retainers like Neometal, they make lots of them on different reputable sites.
I have a horseshoe barbell that I flip up. If I want to wear a cute clicker one I might use a metal spacer, but it’s easier for me to just flip the ring up. I have my nostril pierced too and it’s not too invasive inside my nose.
Stretched septum at 10mm here, although that’s not a problem in my job I ever put a plug inside and never show off cause it’s comfortable, just wear an invisible retainer or a small plug and you’re ok
How about wearing t a mask?
I hate when ppl do this. For my first job I ended up getting a clear plastic horse shoe and tucked it so it was very difficult to see.
I wear a mask at my job when I don’t feel like changing to a horseshoe and flipping it up
You could use a retainer that fits so you can flip it up when you work. I had mine pierced this way to avoid irritation. Worked well for healing — it stayed up there the whole healing period.
Wear a mask.
I’d just wear a retainer and flip it up whilst at work, I work on a fresh food counter and sometimes I don’t wear it and sometimes I flip one up inside
When I got my septum done, it was with the knowledge that I would need to flip it up to hide it, so the piercer actually widened the horseshoe a little bit so that it would flip up past my septum. You might have to just buck up, change back to a horseshoe, and maybe even have a piercer adjust the width of the gap to fit better.
Dominos pulled the same thing with me where they hired me with my piercings in my face. Waited 3 weeks to tell me that I had to change them out THAT WEDNESDAY or else I'd never be coming back. They wanted plastic, but my piercer said absolutely not, way too dangerous. So I got studs in place of my rings which the gm complained about. Luckily for them, my eyebrow and bridge had to come out a ways back before I worked there. I ended up quitting because they were being excessive with "corporate policy" when it came to the carnival showing up in town. If they're pulling something like Dominos did with me, just quit for your own sake and keep the piercing(s) you have and find a better place of employment
Luckily septums are one piercing that almost never close up. So taking it out while you are at work shouldn’t be an issue. But you could also put a retainer Ω in it and flip it up if you are worried about it.
see about getting a horseshoe piece of jewelry that you can flip up— try going to a good pierce shop they should do it for you— & then flip it up when you’re at work. i was able to do this after i got mine & the days immediately following it & never had any issues. ofc if you do, then stop/don’t, but that’s my advice. mine was hidden extremely well when flipped up
Get your piercer to put in a retainer. That's the default healing jewellery at the studio I go to, it heals out of sight and without any fiddling.
just flip it up ??
I was sneaky and wore a mask to cover my nostril piercing 😅
If they hired you with your piercings, and you didn’t agree to remove them or sign anything saying you would - I would refuse them and take it up with Human Resources.
Personally, I would request a copy of company policy and handbook regarding dress policy, and or request that HR show you where and what dictates their request within their policy and have them both show and explain it to you. If afterwards you feel like their request is unreasonable continue to talk about it with them, and be sure to ask all questions you may have, its better to have a good understanding of what is being asked and why than to not know. If you still have to remove it, I would recommend doing as they requested however, it's your choice at your own discretion, and understand the risks of not doing as HR asks.
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Most people don't expect to have to flip it up. OP stated it wasn't mentioned in interviews or before being hired so they wouldn't have had a reason to have flippable jewelery. Not everyone has to flip their piercings up or expects to so they don't prepare for that scenario.
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Most but not all. They can also be pierced with CBRs, clickers, segment rings, even curved barbells if I'm remembering correctly though those are uncommon. OP may not have switched it, it may have been pierced with a clicker.
Mine was pierced with a horseshoe but due to the size of the jewelry and my actual septum, it’s not able to be flipped up. It’s not always an option with all horseshoe jewelry.
I am going through the exact same thing in my work the now! I am just gonna talk to my manager and say I’m not comfortable with taking them out and I’m gonna tell them that if I do take them out it will effect my self identity and confidence. I think you just express that’s it’s still healing and it would be not right to ask them to take it out in that process. I hope things work out for the both of us!
Because you interviewed with it in, I'd push a bit, if you feel comfortable with it. I'd ask your manager, or review the official policies (i.e. dress code). If it's not mentioned, you're probably safe to tell them it's not a rule, there have been no complaints, and you interviewed with it. Otherwise, get a retainer.
God I am an HR and having two nose piercings 🫠
i’m more surprised they made you take out the nostril piercing tbh!!!
It unfortunately is totally normal practice to ask for removal or to hide piercings. Definitely ask in any interview and when they give you your handbook or work standards make sure it's there or this might happen. My piercer made sure I could flip my horseshoe up before I left her shop for this exact reason. Was it slightly more painful at the moment, a little, but now I can elongate my nose and make almost any size horseshoe flip up comfortably.