That is horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that has happened. Are you actually going to cut your hair to keep your job or are you just going to look for something better?

I haven't had it happen before as I only got my dreadies on new years day. I have a 15 week old baby and thought that this time was as best as any for me to get dreads. It always stays in the back of my mind though whether I will have trouble finding work when I am ready to go back into the workforce. I understand the whole "no dreadlocks" policy in certain working industries but c'mon a swimming pool retailer? Your dreads look fairly neat and pretty clean to me. Hope everything works out for you.

Must say I'm surprised that this happened in Detroit. I've heard this sort of thing in small towns, but not in major urban areas.

Ah, well - fuck 'em.

I got fired from a middle school teaching position for having dreads. It didn't feel too good. Apparently appearance is more important than work ethic. Oh well!

I know it sucks from a personal standpoint, but an employer does have the right to dictate the appearance pf their employees. It sucks, but it's true.

Best thing to do if you want to keep them is move on to another job that will hire you with them, but it's always wise to check with your employer before making a drastic change to your appearance next time.

mwell... I work in a vegan restaurant in the most colorful part in the most colorful town in my country so my bosses just loved my dreads when I showed up with them. Tho... another (higher ranked) employed are trying to make me stop playing reggae music and especially Bob Marley. He don't want the place to be a "veggie-hippie place" and let me "scare of" all the "straight costumers".

Thats so weak. Especially since you worked there before and all.
Damn I just dreaded my hair...and now have to get it cut for court.

I hate to be the one to say this, but I really do believe it needs to be stated clearly...

Your employers have just as much right to not hire you for your hair as you have to wear it that way. One of the reasons it is suggested to take the time and really think about why you want them to begin with is to see if you are mentally prepared to deal with the societal effects of wearing what is still considered a controversial hairstyle. Yes, dreads are your choice, but they might not be the choice of your employers. Sometimes it comes down to personal freedom vs a paycheck. It's your choice to make in the end. But please don't make it sound like discrimination. Dress code and personal appearance in the workplace exists for a reason. We are all accountable for our actions. Freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom without repercussion.

And pertaining to court, have you considered having your dreads washed and maintained before your court date? If you clean yourself up and present yourself as an intelligent, decent, and well spoken human being, they're not going to care about your hair. (And for the love of pete, please get a permit when you burn. Illegal fire play is what makes it harder for us to get permits!) Never underestimate the power of a humble attitude and a clean shirt.

haven't posted in a while. the site's been down and I just finally remembered to check it out. I've had the same problem with my dreads for interviews. Still w/o work. Have hard a couple internships though. Have one this summer so we'll see how it goes. That being said, I'm strongly consider cutting my dreads considerably. They are quite long now. I've had them for almost 10 yrs. last yr i cut them to middle of back, but I'm thinking about cutting them shorter as I'm still not quite ready to let them go just yet; however, I think the time is coming soon. Sorry for threadjacking by I didn't to vent. Would love to hear your guys opinions.

You have to ask yourself which is most important...your dreads or your job. Only you can determine that. We all have issues with society not liking us for one reason or another...for some...the object of condemnation can quickly be rectified (like how you wear your hair, which can be easily cut)…for others it's not that easy. You need to look deep inside and ask yourself if your dreads are worth it. If you decide to keep them...you will have to develop thick skin to deal with the negativity and faith that everything will work out in the end.

Good Luck,
Himmy

I thought I'd just let everyone know what's going on with this since it's been so popular. My old boss still refuses to even talk to me about my job. He just told my manager not to hire me back. I was able to get a nannying job though, so at least I'm not jobless. Looking back, I'm glad it happened, because I realize how crappy of a company they really are and its only getting worse. They are starting to rip there own customers off and I don't want to work for a company like that anyway. =]