Kicked out of work for wearing kilt

[Pleater]

Personally I'd not give him the satisfaction of a reaction - bide my time.

There is nothing a bully likes more than to see that they have caused long lasting distress. Wear that uniform, shine those shoes - you get the picture I'm sure.

However - in the fullness of time I am also sure that there will be an opportunity for you to meet with the person who gave you permission to wear the kilt. See if you can mention what happened, really casually. No repeating of what was said, just you regret that you weren't allowed to wear the kilt.

Then put a little sting in the tail - that you also regretted upsetting the Major 'after all he's the one actually in charge' sort of thing. If asked for more information be really reluctant to say anything against someone with the power to dismiss you from your job without notice.

Get ever more reluctant - even a bit panicked about the incident. Regret ever mentioning it because he gets so abusive.

Leave it to the man to explain what happened.

If the boss man doesn't pick up on it straight away, don't push it - he might come back to you later whan he's had chance to think it over, or he might not be interested in opening up what could be a can of worms.

If anything bad happens later be sure to remind the boss, respectfully, that you did mention this to him.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Riverkilt]

Wonder if your company has a policy on diversity and sexual harrassment - your boss probably violated both if it does.

The link won't come up, even directly off the Utilikilts home page but in the May 2004 issue http://www.utilikilts.com/news/archive/05/04.pdf (maybe it'll work again) there's an article about a similar situation. The kilt guy had an attorney from his clan association write his boss a letter about what the clan association was gonna do legally about the kilt prohibition. Boss backed off.

Had this happen at my work and filed a grievance (most grievance policies say no retribution etc.) and I won that grievance. Scary to take on the boss but that's all bullies understand. Have to act fast. There may be a time limit as to how long after an event you can file your grievance.

And, when you leave for another position, consider interviewing kilted and getting the issue out of the way up front.

Seems we've had a number of rabble work kilted in bookstores. Its not a new thing.

Hang in.

[Nighthawk]

Coming from a manager's point of view I would go to the Manager that allowed you to wear it in the first place and let him know how poorly this lower level supervisor treated you and file a formal complaint. Stand up for yourself. This "army brat" has barked up the wrong tree. Don't mess with the celts boyo, or you may get the sword!
lol

I like you! You beat me to it! I had a similar problem where I used to work, until I talked to HR. Not only the HR lady tell me that I could wear my kilt on cultural holidays, but that the company antidiscrimination policy allowed me to wear it whenever I wanted. Check company policy, as well.

[SoulFyre777]

Very difficult. Confronting your bosses at work can be counterproductive however wrong they are.

You could try sending him a written apology with a copy sent to the boss who gave you permission in the first place. Something along the lines of:

Dear Major Smith,

I am sorry that I embarrassed you, my co-workers and the company and have reflected badly on the professionalism of the job.

I am not a transvestite but of Scots/Irish heritage which I am proud of but never-the-less accept that it was not appropriate to wear my kilt at work.

I did discuss this with Mr XXXX and he said it was OK but I should have discussed it with you as my immediate superior.

You may rest assured that it will not happen again.

Your sincerely

Kilt wearing B'stard

If you are going to write such a letter you want it to appear naive rather than sarcastic.

If the owners have any gumption they are going to asking why you are apologizing for something that you should not be apologizing for and why on earth you are mentioning transvestites.

If you are going to go down this route you might want to post the letter on here so that others more divorced from the emotion of the case can just check that you've got the tone OK.

I agree with Courtmount. Play stupid and the real stupidity will show itself with it's rightful owner.

[Galician]

I like your company, Nighthawk!

The HR department of my company has a consultant in the Southwest saying that a kilt is not acceptable business attire. (Her surname is VERY English, which has had me wondering about discrimination.)

In fact, while my new manager had originally said that I could wear to work, first for St. Patrick's Day, then for Tartan Day, my immediate supervisor apparently raised a bit of a stink, so that he backed down at the last minute for Tartan Day. At least he had the decency to come to me and tell me face-to-face.

[Nighthawk]

Wow - what a jerk! I would definitely go back to the manager who originally gave you permission and at least let him know what happened. Not out of spite, but as protection against the fact that this junior manager is now going to be gunning for you.

Having said that, I'm a bit surprised to hear so many people encouraging legal action. Guys, this is the USA. Private employers are certainly allowed to determine what's appropriate clothing. It's not "discrimination" that's protected by law.

What if ScotCop were black and wearing something African on Martin Luther King Jr Day? You really think anyone would have said a word to him about African Day? Because seriously- I don't. It's blatant discrimination. Non European people have been fighting it for years, and now no one says a thing to them. And that's the way it should be. There's no excuse to react that way, and I don't care who you are or what your employee is wearing. Any time you belittle another persons cultural traditions (the transvestite comment) it by definition becomes racial and cultural discrimination, as defined by the word people at Princeton: unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice. (Prejudice: An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts) He was treated very unfairly on the basis of obvious prejudice, and it should not be tolerated- ever- by any cultural group. Not us, not African or Japanese or Native Americans- no one should tolerate that kind of behavior.

[AFS1970]

I can not see why so many want you to fall on your sword. If we are going to be careful not to vilify the victim here, we also need to just as careful not to sanctify the aggressor.

I agree a letter seeking clarification might be in order, if for no other reason than that all workplace issues should be documented in writing. I have been on the wrong end of verbal agreements before.

However there is no need to say that you now see things his way and that you agree it was unprofessional or disruptive. There is no reason to apologize for being proud of your heritage. There are many workplace diversity efforts out there which are simply code words for non-European heritage only clubs.

If you write a letter perhaps change it that you understand how he could think it unprofessional but that you disagree with that opinion. If he was the only one who told you he was personally embarrassed then there is no need to apologize at all for embarrassing your coworkers who were not in fact embarrassed.

As for the Transy remark, you might even refer him to books on Scottish heritage and formal dress that can be found in your own book store to clarify that part of his belief. He on the other hand should be very glad that you are not a transvestite, as then he would be up the creek without a paddle. I guarantee that your stores workplace harassment policy strictly forbid harassing those individuals for their dress while ignoring your specific situation.

[Scotcop]

OK, as requested a bit about me........and the job

It is a small bookstore, we get around 100 customers a day, do about 1500, and only have 2 employees working most of the time. Its in a strip mall, so that will give you an idea on the size. I have worked there for 4 months, am the 6 senior person out of 15 employees when it comes to how long we have all worked there, this guy is new, around a month, and is going to be replacing the assistant manager.
The dress code is a white above the waist, and black below. I normally wear a White dress shirt with a tie, class A's and black spit shined uniform boots. My boss (the store manager, who gave me permission) says I am the most professional employee there. Most of the other employees wear a t-shirt of their choice and dirty black pants with sneakers, this guy was wear a polo shirt and cargos with sneakers yesterday.
I wore my Black Watch kilt, newly pressed, with a lavender\light blue well starched shirt, a day sporran, belt, the hose I died the other week, and a green\navy striped regimental style tie.

[ForresterModern]

I am an employed physician in a large medical system. I am the boss of my department, but I still have several different bosses I have to report to and whose doctrines I have to abide by. I wear the kilt to work a few times per month on weekdays when I do not anticipate either direct patient contact (coodies, you know) or a major administrative or board meeting I have to attend, as well as about half the time I work weekends. Never and issue, and if there were my direct boss has already said he would support me to the fullest extent of the written guidelines for dress. Most days I am in khakis and a golf shirt anyway, so a nicer shirt and lovely kilt, sometimes with a tie and tweed jacket/waistcoat, is certainly a step up from the norm.

Other than specific uniform requirements, potentially physically dangerous work situations, and highly specific dress codes, I cannot imagine a modern workplace with any serious problem with someone wearing a kilt to work. Would that same manager have had a problem with a female employee wearing a similar kilt/skirt to her work if hers was the same position and responsibility as yours? I seriously doubt it.

j

[azwildcat96]

I have worked there for 4 months, am the 6 senior person out of 15 employees when it comes to how long we have all worked there, this guy is new, around a month, and is going to be replacing the assistant manager.

Perhaps you are better qualified to take over the assistant manager position! And, if this situation is handled properly, that may be the outcome.

None of us know all of the details or the politics of your place of employment, so giving advice to you is a lot like trying to milk a bull (it's just not going to be productive)!

Good luck to you, and let us know how it turns out.