Kilt concerns

[arny]

I wear a kilt but not al the time to work on and off. But for the last 6 years or so an american indian would wear it to work we work nights at the U.S.P.S and this one women complained. I guess it had to do with dress . code of conduct . but it doesn't say anything about wearing a kilt in the employee hand book. He didnt want to make a case of it. I havent worn my all winter .so what if they tell me i cant wear my kilt . its ok for people to wear shredded pants with holes or shorts . i really dont see the difference . is this against law for managment if they tell me i can't wear my kilt . has this happend to anyone else . mind you we work the over nights so no postal uniforms we dont deal with the public face to face . please i would like yur feed back . thanks adam

[knotty]

I would assume that for what ever reason the woman has an issue with you wearing a kilt at work. I would guess that its a person issue with you personally & the kilt is a handy excuse. In any case, thats something for management to play with. If you can wear shorts you should be able to wear a kilt. Some people took exception with me wearing a kilt at Scout Camp. I informed them that my kilt covered more skin than most shorts. The problem stopped there.

Good luck

[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.

[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:

[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.

[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.