Today, I got fired for having a visible tattoo on my neck. The tattoo in question is a scar from a surgery I had 2 months ago. The same one paid for by my employer's insurance and missed 2 weeks of work for. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, I got into trouble at work because a customer complained about my face tattoo, I don't have a face tattoo but I do have one behind my ear. Nonetheless, I still got written up and had to cover it with a band-aid, which ripped out hair when I took it off. FML
Today, I went for a job interview and was rejected for having a 'visible' tattoo. It's white ink, so you can't see it unless you look super closely. The only reason they knew about it was because I was honest and mentioned it when asked if I had any tattoos. I guess honesty is not the best policy. FML
Today, my boss threatened to fire me because of a tattoo I have. It's a small teddy bear on my leg with my parents' names on it. My workplace has no problems with tattoos, but my boss said it was "unoriginal and lame." It's a memorial tattoo; my parents died last year. FML
Today, I went on a job interview. The interviewer said it all went well, but he can't hire me because I've got a nose piercing, and that type of "image" isn't the kind they're looking for in their employees. This is the guy who had a full sleeve tattoo. FML
Today, I realized that the "holla" tattoo I stupidly got on my lower lip five years ago isn't fading as I expected it to, and will probably contribute to my unemployment for years to come. FML
Today, I have a tattoo of my daughter, who died when she was 11, and I had to have surgery on that body area. I told the surgeon very clearly to cut around the tattoo and he assured me he would. Woke up and the bastard had cut through my daughter's face, and half her face is now under scars and stitches. FML
Today, a tattoo artist send me home without tattoo because the acne on my back has gotten so bad, he refused to work on such an 'unpredictable surface'. FML
Today, I got fired from the job I've only had for a week. Between paying for a physical, my own background check and uniforms, I paid more money to start working there than I'll get from my one and only paycheck. FML
Today, during my second shift back at work after missing four weeks for knee surgery, I stabbed myself in the hand and now need three weeks off for that surgery. Just as I'm up for a promotion. FML
Today, I found out that the phrase I got tattooed on my lower back is misspelled. FML
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Top comments
Charles900 16
How can they possibly be dumb enough to mistake that for a tattoo? Even if they had a rule, your boss had no right to fire you for a surgical scar. If you have to, you can sue for wrongful termination.
josiemorehouse 12
That's not right, OP. That's a wrongful termination. You can obviously prove it's a scar rather than a tattoo. Depending on where you live, you should fight it!!
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Comments (87)
randomheartthrob 7
Contact hr. They should be able to do something cause that's not a Reason to fire anyone unless your company has a no visible tattoo rule.
josiemorehouse 12
Even if the company does have a 'no visible tattoo' rule, it doesn't apply in this situation since it's a scar and not a tattoo.
randomheartthrob 7
I miss read that. I thought it was a tattoo that covered a scar
WhatsYOURname6 25
I think a lot of people thought that too, in fairness. I did at first!
WhatsYOURname6 25
How could they even mistake that for a tattoo...
anonymous100000 17
sue them
nickaa827 13
#21 it would be easier to just call hr rather than escalate in court
TacoMan32 21
Some people get tattoos that look like scars. It's a little odd, but it adds character I spose
Brandi_Faith 34
I'm assuming they thought it was a white tattoo? That's the only way I see the scar resembling a tattoo. Sometimes those little white tattoos look like scars.
Arwen_Evenstar 37
I'm assuming they wanted rid and were trying to find any excuse possible.
josiemorehouse 12
That's not right, OP. That's a wrongful termination. You can obviously prove it's a scar rather than a tattoo. Depending on where you live, you should fight it!!
kirasant 19
Isn't stuff like this protected by American's with Disabilties? Maybe contact them
valalvax 13
No, I wouldn't think ADA would protect against this, but it's definitely illegal, like they said I'd contact HR and contact an attorney specializing in that sort of thing to definitively figure out what laws were violated
TisAPenguin 16
OP lives in Virginia. Legally, an employer here can fire you for anything. My grandmother's favorite example is, "They can fire you if they don't like the color of your socks." They don't need a reason.
fie26 9
I think what OP is hinting at is that they believe their employers real reason was for missing work for two weeks and using his insurance, and that the tattoo was just given as a reason
gichikku 14
Even if they can fire you for anything, they said it was because of his tattoo, and he doesn't have a tattoo. Wouldn't that still be considered wrongful termination?
Googolman 29
51 - Not really. They may have fired the OP because of a misunderstanding, but that doesn't make it illegal. It's only really illegal if it was due to discriminatory reasons.
andy1500726 19
also they can fire you if you signed an at will employment agreement. thus, it might be legal
Soninuva 41
Even though they may not need a reason there in Virginia, all 50 states in the US are covered by Federal laws that prevent employers from not hiring and firing of people due to discrimination based on age, gender, race, or disability. Though this obviously is not a disability, it can fall under it in a court of law, if it came to that. It would be considered the result of an injury being the cause of dismissal, and thus can be brought in, in a sort of loophole. I'm not saying OP should sue right away, he/she should talk to HR first, and if they can't resolve it, then take it to court. Proceedings such as this usually don't take very long, and as OP will likely win, may also be awarded what they would have made during the time of unemployment as restitution.
Charles900 16
How can they possibly be dumb enough to mistake that for a tattoo? Even if they had a rule, your boss had no right to fire you for a surgical scar. If you have to, you can sue for wrongful termination.
xx000o 27
They knew it wasn't a tattoo, they just didn't want to pay out any more insurance for you.
kashanta91 11
That sounds like a lawsuit to me. They paid for it and then they turn around and fire you because they claim its a tattoo? Yeah, I wouldn't take bullshit like that. If it was your boss that fired you, take it up with HR and show them any documents you have that shows they paid for the surgery. If it was HR that fired you, I'd be talking to a lawyer if you can.
otecasacid 22
Hey, they paid for your surgery, so now with your wrongful termination lawsuit they'll pay for a new house too! It's not worth working for the stupidly incompetent if you can get out of it ahead
finalyearsofhate 22
That's pretty illegal. Discrimination isn't cool. Talk to hr, and a lawyer if need be.
Simply_Infinite 12
On one hand a trip to HR could solve this problem, but on the other you could see this as an opportunity to find a new and better job. Whatever you do end up doing good luck to you. I'm sorry about this.
kelardy 11
if they do know it's a scar they are probably justed pissed off they had to pay workman's comp and using it as an excuse to fire you seeing as they might think that you are accident prone now and don't want the chance of you having to claim more workman's comp
Cassie4840 7
Hopefully you don't live in a right-to-work state, where they don't even need a valid reason to fire you, so you can fight it!
cjfred 13
Virginia is, in fact, a right to work state, so the OP is pretty much screwed.
realtingdis 12
I thought 'right to work' had to do with unions as opposed to 'at will'.
unamor07 3
Yea at will is what OP would have to worry about not right to work. OP should seek legal advice on this because that's not a valid reason to be fired for especially if you have documentation on the procedure and a doctors agreement that it is a scar not tattoo