The city of Bountiful, Utah has just passed a law banning new city employees from sporting any sort of visible tattoo. This means if your tattoo peeks out of your collar, you’ll have to consider working for someone other than Bountiful city.
Tattoos that are seen on the head, face, neck, or hand are now banned, and prospective employees with as much will not be hired. The only ones exempt from this rule are current staffers who already have visible tattoos.
The ban further includes any males who have piercings that are visible as well. The officials in Davis County say that these actions are ‘anticipatory and preventative’….whatever that means. They want their employees to look professional so that people will feel comfortable interacting with them.
This ban in Davis County and in Bountiful is modeling a similar ban with the Los Angeles Police Department where employees of the LAPD are banned from visible tattoos. Unlike LAPD, forearm tattoos in Bountiful WILL be allowed, but only if they are able to be covered with city uniform or required dress code.
The ban is based on the theory that citizens don’t want police officers showing up at their door to assist them with tattoos of the Nazi variety. So as opposed to simply banning any questionable or politically incorrect tattoos, all have been banned. And some of the residents of Bountiful aren’t happy.
The term ‘a joke’ has been used to describe the ban, as well as discriminatory. And could the fact that the heavily weighted Mormon population of Bountiful have something to do with it?
What do you think?
To me, the ban on tattoos for city workers is no different from any other business establishment expecting its employees to look well-groomed and professional. Tattoos on the head, face, and neck do not make you look professional.