Reply #107: A business has a right and a responsibility

[Tims]

to control it's image. Whether it's the uniforms worn by McDonald's employees or neckties for men and stocking for women imposed in most office work environments. How a business appears to the public which buys their products or services has a significant effect on their bottom line. A business has the responsibility to both it's investors and employees (within reason) to not offend the sensibilities of their customers. Ask yourself if McDonald's would loose business if they allowed their employees to show up for work wearing whatever they wished. You bet they would, and although we may talk all we want about the injustice of that and that people shouldn't be that way, this is the reality that businesses face.

The general public's "sensibilities" may indeed be anal and culturally biased, but as long as a company's public image effects their sales, then businesses will impose restrictions on their employees when they are on company time.

I applaud those businesses which have an enlightened view toward personal expression, but they do so at a risk. Those who succeed tend to be businesses which cater to a more progressive clientele which is, unfortunately, not the mainstream.

I agree that many businesses have company policies which are draconian and influenced by personal biases not related to any "community standards", but that does not mean that all efforts to control a company's image is by definition subversive of our individual rights. When we go to work for someone, we agree to play by their rules. If those rules endanger our health or infringe on basic civil rights, then we can complain. If their rules are simply inconvenient and offend our personal fashion sense, then "tough luck"- welcome to reality.