The Ethicist--Piercing

Among many issues in the Ethicist column of New York Times, what I read is "Nose Ring of Truth" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/magazine/the-ethicist-nose-ring-of-truth.html?ref=theethicist). In this issue, a woman who owns a high-end home-furnishing showroom is asking for an ethical judge on her action to a great sales candidate with piercing on nose and tongue: elimination of the candidate for reasons of piercing.

In response to this query, the columnist mentions the importance of physical appearance in such jobs as models, and also say that it is not important point on other jobs like programmer. In cases of the other jobs that beauty attributes a portion, however, the columnist agree with that it is a hard case to decide whether to eliminate or accept a candidate with undesirable appearance. In a case of sales person, following a style which naturally biased clients love is important. And since the problem of the eliminated great sales candidate is piercing, rather than the candidate's un-correctable physical ones on body, the owner of the showroom can ask the candidate to take off the ornaments during work hours.

I am with the columnist in this issue. In sales job, physical appearance is not one's freedom but a professional requirements for customers. Since an unfavorable appearance or ornament can make clients uncomfortable and consequently lower the profit of a company or a store, a manager can ask a qualified candidate change his or her own style, at least during the work time. If the candidate refuses, then the manager can discriminate the candidate out.