Boss Fires Worker For Refusing To Cut His Long Hair

Hair can be an extremely personal and important part of someone’s image. Being able to wear your hair the way you want, styled or colored, short or long, is an important part of self-expression, though it’s long been held that you should conform to certain societal expectations of haircuts.

While we thought that in this, the year of our lord 2022, things might be changing in that regard, it’s far from universal.

u/naturalviber shared a story on an r/antiwork subreddit about his new plumbing gig, which was going well. That is, it was going well until his boss caught sight of his long hair.

Here’s what he said:

He explains that the job is new and there was no cited expectation that hair be a certain length.

I am a plumber. I have been working for a plumbing company for 2 weeks now. I must have missed in the handbook that hair can be no longer than shoulder length… for a plumber..

I have excelled at this company and was told from the owner himself that I know more than 90 percent of his crew and would be getting a 6+ dollar raise soon and my own truck.

He was killing it, even getting a huge raise soon! Amazing. Well done, plumber!

It has been cold and I have kept it in a hat because it gets in my face while working.

This morning was the first time he has seen me with long hair. He kind of flipped his shit and told me to cut it by tomorrow.

And here we go… the plumber and his boss met on the field of lengthy locks and the boss did not like it.

Of course I told him that I will not be cutting my hair for this position (service plumber) and even bargained that I move to a different position (new installation) if my hair was a problem.

He got snappy with me and told me to cut my hair by tomorrow or there is my car.. while pointing at my car.

His boss said cut it or go, so OP …went! He was quickly hired by another company and all was well.

Told him thanks for wasting my time, grabbed my tools and left. Drove right down the road and was hired by another plumbing company and we laughed together about my long hair and the other company.

This is a workers market, do not let these companies control your every waking moment. Everywhere is hiring.

Bored Panda spoke with the Tennessee-based plumber. “They did not try to bring me back,” he said. “And quite frankly, I do not wish to return there.”