Posted on 10/24/2014 10:49:00 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
Is this a violation of the first amendment? A man is left confused and frustrated after he feels he was denied a job based on his tattoos.
A man is left confused and frustrated after he feels he was denied a job based on his tattoos.
Bill Roach reached out to Eyewitness News because he thinks he was a victim of discrimination and was treated unfairly.
He said the tattoos aren’t gang related and shouldn’t be an issue. He’s proud of them, and they all mean something to him.
“My right arm is nothing but music,” he said. “You know, songs.”
Some mean more than others. He has the lip prints of his wife on his neck, plus a tribute to his first-born son, Ryker.
“So, my neck is the footprint from when he was born, his name, and his birth date,” said Roach.
Now those tattoos mean something else entirely – difficulty in finding a job.
He recently applied for a position in the medical industry, and even though he passed a test, he didn’t get called back for a first interview.
“She said, ‘No, the only reason we’re not hiring you is because of your tattoos,'” said Roach. “I don’t know what to do. I feel like I was bullied. I feel like I was treated unfairly and misled, and I don’t know why.”
Eyewitness News isn’t naming the company, because it didn’t break any laws. But, we did reach out to the company officials. They said they can’t comment because it’s “a personnel matter.”
“We know that every action or choice has a consequence,” said Holly Culhane of PAS Associates, a human resources consulting company.
She said it’s a problem employees have all the time, but there’s a difference between legal and illegal discrimination.
“There are certain areas that you cannot discriminate based on,” said Culhane. “So, we’re talking about race, color, religion, sex, national origin, as example of those.”
That’s why she said employers should make their practices clear.
“So, they might want to ask the question up front or they might want to just ask for the policy,” she said.
But, Roach said that’s exactly what he did and was told by a manager that it wouldn’t be a problem.
“I pulled my stuff up, and I showed them I had tattoos,” said Roach, “and I wanted to be up front, because to avoid wasting my time as well as theirs … and he encouraged me to take the test and said, you know, don’t worry about it.”
He said he’s never had a problem with his tattoos before and is well qualified and deserves a shot. He said he wouldn’t have been upset if they told him up front. Instead he had to take a day off work and now feels like his time and money were wasted.
"If I have a family member that’s sick or dying, I don’t care if the person’s (working in the medical job) got tattoos,” he said. “If they’re there to help my family member and here to save their life, I think the last thing going through someone’s mind when they’re going through an emergency is that I have tattoos. I’m sure they’re more concerned about, ‘Help my loved one.’”
Roach said he is writing a letter to Congress, seeking to make tattoo discrimination illegal unless they are hateful or gang related.
As tattoos become more and more prevalent in society, we need to decide if this issue is covered under a 1st amendment or should it be left up to the employer. You decide…..
....in addition...stupid sounding names (I know I know, its the parent(s) fault...
non-relevant liberal arts degrees (especially African American studies)
Problematic length of employment (shows that you can't commit to a job
You must have some sort of civic duty such as boy scouts, nra, church, habitat for humanity, SOMETHING.
Military service preferred.
America’s future? Geez.. what can I, or anyone say? /s
America is full of savages and ferals.
Keep them off your face, neck and arms and that will help at the job interview. Tattoos fade over the years, and a lot of these “sleeve tats” that cover everything will result in the wearer being called “Uncle dark arms” in 40 years.
All together now, "Awwwwww" How sad. He feels bullied. What is this? Second grade? Direct result of the "give everyone a trophy for just showing up" and the "make everyone believe they're extra special" movements.
Hint: they are called muscle shirts for a reason.
She TOLD you it was because of the tattoos, dumba$$.
Now, I wouldn't hire you because apparently you cannot understand simple English.
He and others are free to look like circus freaks and I remain free to treat him like one.
Of course it’s discrimination. SO WHAT. Freedom gives us he right to discriminate as to with whom we choose to associate.
Kind of looks like him. I know it was only a matter of time until tattoos became a protected minority. Only question is “When will it go to the Supreme Court?”
I don’t return to places when servers look like that.
Yep. But his application for NASCAR Official is doomed.
Funny, really....
Dude might as well have had a “package” tattooed on his head. :o)
Yes, moron, it’s discriminating.
When an employer interviews 6 people for a position, he uses discriminating skills to determine which 5 people to eliminate.
If you’re stupid enough to permanently mar your body to look like a complete non-thinking sheep, it’s likely your name will be moved to the bottom of the list. You are arriving at the interview with a sign that announces your lack of good judgment.
if you tattoo up your body like a jackass, and look like a weirdo freak, ...
i just don’t know why this needs to be explained to anyone in 2014...
How did he sculpt his hair when he was dead?
Let me tell you a story about a man named Roach...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.