Immigrants and naturalized citizens often do their best to assimilate into American culture. However, they may also want to honor their national origins and culture. Frequently, clothing, hairstyles and even makeup play a role in how people honor their past while building for the future.
Many professionals might want to wear traditional clothing or hairstyles while at work. In some cases, they may face backlash from their employers for doing so. Inappropriately restrictive dress codes at businesses could potentially constitute discrimination based on national origin or immigration status.
Can employers forbid cultural clothing?
Workplace appearance standards tend to require a bit of nuance. Employers generally need to ensure that their workers respect the culture of the company. Frequently, the focus is on appearing clean or professional.
Beyond that, there may be a desire to drive home the company’s cultural standards, such as friendliness or a sense of humor. Imposing certain requirements on workers regarding their appearance is theoretically appropriate. Particularly when restrictions relate to worker safety or food safety, employers can likely justify limiting self-expression in the workplace.
However, especially when rules are seemingly arbitrary, there may be questions about whether it is appropriate for an employer to forbid workers from wearing traditional cultural clothing. The language used in the dress code, the dynamic others have with the employee and the way the company enforces the rules may all influence whether the company’s practices are technically a violation of the worker’s rights.
Pursuing a workplace discrimination lawsuit on the basis of national origin or immigration status with a skilled legal team may be possible in cases where employers punish workers for dressing differently than their coworkers. People should not be subject to different treatment because of their cultural heritage or national origin.