By Namrata Pingle
A new study released by a Brisbane-based recruitment office says the majority of Australians do not think tattoos belong in the workplace.
The study released by recruitment experts, Employment Office, found 60 per cent of Australians surveyed believe visible tattoos are unacceptable in the workplace and more agree they should be covered or removed before job interviews.
Managing Director of Employment Office, Tudor Marsden-Huggins, says the study reflects job seekers must be more mindful of companies who place importance on client profiles and their preferences.
“Finance and legal businesses, for example, are very worried about their customers and their customers’ perception,” he says.
“By and large, the customers of those professional service businesses are an older generation.”
Mr Marsden-Huggins says to avoid potential discrimination issues, employers should be upfront with job seekers about company uniform regulations.
“People need to be aware of the legal aspect and not get themselves in trouble by discriminating,” he says.
Under the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act, employers are legally able to discriminate against job seekers who have visible tattoos.
Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Kevin Cocks says unless the law changes, the Commission’s hands are tied.
“If people try to make a complaint under our Act, it isn’t covered under our 16 attributes,” he says.
“We couldn’t accept a complaint based on tattoos.”
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