Sandwiched between mini-mountains of compact discs at Discontent on Main Avenue in Moorhead, employee Kurt Galbrecht talks with a friend.
His pierced ears, lip and eyebrows, as well as his tattooed arms, stand out.
Galbrecht is lucky, however, because he is one of the young employees in the Fargo-Moorhead area allowed to display their tattoos and piercings while at work.
"We allow pretty much anything and everything," Galbrecht says.
Discontent is an exception. Employers' dress policies vary in allowing workers to have piercings, visible tattoos, dyed hair, dreadlocks and other trendy and expressive body modifications.
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Employers have discretion in regulating employee appearance, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. North Dakota's rules are similar.
"Employers really have the discretion to have dress codes," says Mark Bachmeier, North Dakota Commissioner of Labor.
Bachmeier says that there is no specific right that protects teens or young adults from workplace dress regulations. The only exception would be if a dress code discriminates against an employee's race, sex, religion or national origin.
Sharon Weber, national spokeswoman for Wal-Mart in Arkansas, says that the company stresses a professional image with its employees.
"As far as facial jewelry, we don't allow that," Weber says, "such as piercings in the nose, lip, eyebrow and tongue." There are two Wal-Mart stores in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
She also says that tattoos must be covered by clothing in "respect for the individual."
"It's just a professional look," Weber says.
Other companies are more lenient, but still have restrictions.
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"An ear piercing is fine," says Laura Johnson, assistant manager of the West Acres 14 movie theater. "Pretty much any sort of visible tattoos ... we don't really allow that."
Johnson says that the West Acres theater would like its employees to have natural color hair -- nothing multi-color.
Aspiring college-age workers must deal with the reality that some jobs might force them to conform to either a uniform or store-endorsed appearance.
Some companies mandate dress codes to local outlets while some allow managers to decide what is acceptable for a particular location.
A professional look
Tradehome shoe store in the West Acres Regional Shopping Center wants its employees to have a professional, well-groomed look.
"We like our guys to be clean-cut," says Jon Skudlarek, Tradehome Shoe Store manager. Part of being clean-cut, he says, is not having visible tattoos, wild hair color or visible piercings.
Journeys clothing store in West Acres is more casual about attire. Employees can dress in baggy jeans and T-shirts, and tattoos and piercings are acceptable.
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That kind of employee attire helps a customer feel more at ease, says store manager Steve Clemons.
An employee dressed like a used car salesman trying to sell Phat Farm shoes just doesn't work with the customer that Journeys is trying to attract, he adds.
Always a compromise
"There's a compromise," says Jon Trainor, manager at Cheapo Discs on Main Avenue in Moorhead.
Trainor says that the compromise comes down to what a young worker is willing to give up for a paycheck.
He says that there's nothing wrong with piercings or tattoos; it just might not appeal to the customer a particular business is trying to attract. He emphasizes the need to be neutral for the comfort of the majority of customers.
However, job prospects for youths with tattoos and piercings might improve in the future.
Some stores have changed their policies to keep up with youthful styles.
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"We allow pretty much anything," says Grant Lee, an American Eagle Outfitters employee at West Acres. "It's changed drastically."
Males could not wear earrings while on duty at one time, but they now can, he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Travis Coleman at (701) 235-7311
