Kilt concerns

[arny]

I agree isn't that discrimination . If I was to wear mine and they told me to change or go home wount that be a eeo case . They might come up with b. s like it can get caught on machine . And the women at work don't wear skirts but some do wear shorts . Had this ever happened or heard of any cases like this

[Riverkilt]

Wasn't that long ago that Utilikilts offered some styles in postal blue for carriers.

Just Googled "Kilted Postal Carriers" and got lots of hits.

Check it out and join the other USPS folks going for it.

[Tobus]

This topic comes up from time to time. Despite what you may think, here in the U.S. the kilt is not a 'protected' class of clothing. You are not being 'discriminated' against if you are told by your employer that you may not wear it. Simply put, your employer (even if it's the federal government) has every right to set the dress code, and if that means no kilt at work, then that's their prerogative. There is no legally recognised basis for you to challenge it. This is not an EEO issue.

[OC Richard]

I'm one of many who has his work dress prescribed in detail, so no kilts! Slacks, longsleeved shirt, tie. No getting around it, no 'Hawai'ian shirt Fridays' or 'casual Fridays' like so many companies around here do.

[Father Bill]

I get up in the morning and put on a black shirt & collar, black pants, black socks and shoes and a black jacket.

Wearing "other stuff" is reserved for evenings and special Scottish events because the black is my "company uniform" - something a lot of us have.

[Riverkilt]

I was around when women were told they couldn't wear pants to work. They won that long battle. I see a parallel with men and kilts. I'm hopeful we will prevail in the long run. For sure no fun to anger the boss or risk the paycheck over wearing the kilt to work. Your employer's reaction will give you good information about the company culture. In turn you may choose to move on.

Always fun to do a job interview kilted. Then, if you're hired, you know its okay.

[artificer]

This topic comes up from time to time. Despite what you may think, here in the U.S. the kilt is not a 'protected' class of clothing. You are not being 'discriminated' against if you are told by your employer that you may not wear it. Simply put, your employer (even if it's the federal government) has every right to set the dress code, and if that means no kilt at work, then that's their prerogative. There is no legally recognised basis for you to challenge it. This is not an EEO issue.

↑↑This↑↑

The one exception might be if women were allowed to wear skirts and you REALLY REALLY wanted to be a PITA. You might, possibly, be able to force them to either:

A) allow you to wear the kilt,
or
B) make it so they restrict women to trousers/shorts only as well.

The real question is "Do you actually want to be that big a pain for your boss"? (aka- is it really worth the trouble and inevitable bad feelings you'll generate just to be able to wear the kilt at work?)

ith:

[S Mitchell]

↑↑This↑↑

The one exception might be if women were allowed to wear skirts and you REALLY REALLY wanted to be a PITA. You might, possibly, be able to force them to either:

A) allow you to wear the kilt,
or
B) make it so they restrict women to trousers/shorts only as well.

The real question is "Do you actually want to be that big a pain for your boss"? (aka- is it really worth the trouble and inevitable bad feelings you'll generate just to be able to wear the kilt at work?)

ith:

Yeah, you might want to speak with a union steward. Then, at least, the decision would move up a rung on the supervision ladder.

If women are allowed to wear skirts in your occupational group, you have a fair shot. But, I could easily see management going with option B, above, just to be spiteful.

Or they could argue a kilt, having more fabric than a woman's skirt, is more of a safety hazard around the machines. It is an industrial environment.

In maintenance, here in the Phoenix area, we had permission at one point to wear shorts because of the heat (nationwide maintenance employees must wear long pants) but our manager changed the policy out of spite, due to unrelated control issues with the union, and there's not much we can do about it.

[Tobus]

The one exception might be if women were allowed to wear skirts and you REALLY REALLY wanted to be a PITA. You might, possibly, be able to force them to either:

A) allow you to wear the kilt,
or
B) make it so they restrict women to trousers/shorts only as well.

I was around when women were told they couldn't wear pants to work. They won that long battle. I see a parallel with men and kilts.

If women are allowed to wear skirts in your occupational group, you have a fair shot.

Guys, I don't mean to sound argumentative here, but why do people keep comparing this to womens' skirts, or making it a gender battle? Historically speaking, the battle of women wearing trousers like men instead of dresses was a political battle of equal rights in society (and was tied to suffrage, etc.). That is a whole 'nother ball of wax than what we're talking about here. The kilt is, and has always been, the ethnic clothing of Highland Scots (and to a far lesser degree their descendants, the diaspora). It's not the symbol of a political movement for equality unless you're somehow trying to tie it to some sort of transgender issue, which would be flat out inappropriate for the Highland kilt and for this forum.

Appealing to an employer on the basis of "fairness" when females are allowed to wear skirts but not men, is going to do nothing but create acrimony and problems between you and management. Even if they begrudgingly allow it out of fear that you'll make a stink, you still won't come out a winner. And every time you wear your kilt to work, you'll be reminding them that you forced their hand. They'll be watching and waiting for your kilt to cause problems. Why would you want that negative attention in your workplace, upon which you rely for your livelihood?

I dislike being the lone negative voice when this topic comes up, but I really think it's a mistake to push too hard for kilt acceptance in the workplace. If they have deemed it inappropriate (for whatever reason), it may be worth politely asking about it. But if they state firmly "no", then let it go. Wear the kilt in your off-hours and have fun, but don't make it a problem in your workplace. And for goodness sake, don't turn it into some sort of political rights issue when it's really not.

[artificer]

Guys, I don't mean to sound argumentative here, but why do people keep comparing this to womens' skirts, or making it a gender battle? Historically speaking, the battle of women wearing trousers like men instead of dresses was a political battle of equal rights in society (and was tied to suffrage, etc.). That is a whole 'nother ball of wax than what we're talking about here. The kilt is, and has always been, the ethnic clothing of Highland Scots (and to a far lesser degree their descendants, the diaspora). It's not the symbol of a political movement for equality unless you're somehow trying to tie it to some sort of transgender issue, which would be flat out inappropriate for the Highland kilt and for this forum.

Appealing to an employer on the basis of "fairness" when females are allowed to wear skirts but not men, is going to do nothing but create acrimony and problems between you and management. Even if they begrudgingly allow it out of fear that you'll make a stink, you still won't come out a winner. And every time you wear your kilt to work, you'll be reminding them that you forced their hand. They'll be watching and waiting for your kilt to cause problems. Why would you want that negative attention in your workplace, upon which you rely for your livelihood?

I dislike being the lone negative voice when this topic comes up, but I really think it's a mistake to push too hard for kilt acceptance in the workplace. If they have deemed it inappropriate (for whatever reason), it may be worth politely asking about it. But if they state firmly "no", then let it go. Wear the kilt in your off-hours and have fun, but don't make it a problem in your workplace. And for goodness sake, don't turn it into some sort of political rights issue when it's really not.

It's not about "equal rights" (at least for me, since I can wear whatever the heck I like to work so long as I don't mind it being ruined by dye/glue/etc) so much as it is "Are rules being applied uniformly"? If they are not then there was a possibility of pleading his case. The rational for allowing a skirt but not a kilt would be questionable at best (historical issues aside).

As for whether or not it's ACTUALLY worthwhile pushing for the kilt to be accepted- that's why I ended my last post with the bit you cut out.

The real question is "Do you actually want to be that big a pain for your boss"? (aka- is it really worth the trouble and inevitable bad feelings you'll generate just to be able to wear the kilt at work?)

ith:

ith: