Today a little story from Vil.
Okay, I admit it, my legs are not the most beautiful ones. They are hairy, cheese colored (not anymore) and my skin is full of little scars. I am a diabetic, my skin doesn’t heal very well anymore and every little scratch leaves a scar. Annoying, but nothing serious you might think, but obviously there is an issue for some people.
I am working as a German and English 1.st level support agent on the phone and I just started a week ago. The training is easy and the job itself is a piece of cake. I thought all is going well until my team lead advised me to wear long trousers because some colleagues see an “issue of private hygiene”. He told me that people take issue on the scars and the plasters on my legs.
WTF, may I ask? That’s embarrassing and somehow also discrimination.
I should wear a trouser because I have scars on my skin! Or, another way around, I am not allowed to wear short trousers, because my legs don’t look “top model” alike! Get a grip, life is not always beautiful.
Maybe, you tell a girl that she shouldn’t wear the short dress, because “she is too fat”? No, you won’t do that!, because that’s discrimination. Where is the difference between me and her?
Now I am considering my options and I might file an official complaint against this kind of treatment.
Obviously, I will not last very long in this team and surely I will continue to look for a decent job. I have no doubt that the perfect position awaits me somewhere out there.
[UPDATE]
After evaluating the situation I know what’s going on. Yes, I do have scars and a discoloration of my skin. Sometimes I need to plaster some spaces because the skin tear from time to time. And that’s all. Nothing serious or infectious.
BUT some of my new colleagues took it a bit too serious and instead of talking to me they went to the team lead and demanded a certificate of health. WTF?
Then it gets even better. The team lead doesn’t talk to me or tries to calm the situation, as you might expect from a good and responsible team lead. NO, he writes an email to my employer and complains about my “personal hygiene” . Double WTF!
I have no idea what he exactly wrote because the mail never reached me.Now I am waiting for someone to approach me and I really hope they will give me a warning written on company paper.
I consider this kind of behaviour as ignorant, stupid and most of all as discrimination