Denver Jobing Community Blogs

 

With thousands of job seekers expected to attend the Jobing.com Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, it’s important to have a job fair strategy to stand out from the competition.

• COME WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE - We know times are tough right now, but a job fairs are about first impressions. Please do not disclose personal or financial issues to the employers. They want employees who will bring a positive attitude and work ethic into their workplace.

• TREAT THE EVENT LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW - The Jobing.com Career Expo has booths staffed with HR professionals. These are the people who have a direct say in who will be hired, so treat this opportunity as a first interview. Dress professionally and come prepared to sell yourself.

• HAVE A PLAN - The Colorado Convention Center will be filled with Denver employers. It is important to use your time wisely by selecting a top 20 list of employers to visit. Research these companies and their open positions prior to the event.

• PREPARE QUESTIONS - Employers want candidates who are prepared, professional, and serious about their openings. If you ask a question that can be answered from the information on their company website, it shows you did not take the time to do your homework.

 • CREATE YOUR 30 SECOND PITCH - Job fairs are not only for job seekers to learn about employers, but for employers to learn about the candidates. Be sure you can sum up what you are looking for and why you are a great candidate, concisely, in 30 seconds.

• UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS - Many organizations have applicant tracking systems in place to manage the hiring process. This means the recruiters may ask you to submit your resume online. Rather than use the career expo as a resume drop off, use it as an opportunity to get first hand information from someone who knows what it's like to work there. This way you can tailor your resume even further prior to submitting it online.

 • FOLLOW-UP - Remember to collect business cards from employers you speak with! Send a hand written thank you note to all of the employers you met with. Even if a company does not have the right position for you today, they may in the near future. Always work to make a positive impression and expand your professional network. Address the conversations you had at the event in your cover letters. Remind the employer of who you are and discuss something you learned about the company from the event. This will help the employer see why you would be a great fit for the organization.

As a job seeker in today’s economy you should be looking for every opportunity to stand out among the competition. Job fairs are a great way to meet face-to-face with hiring managers and get an edge over candidates who only apply online. With the recent spike in unemployment the dynamics of attending job fairs has dramatically changed, so how do you ensure you are using your time a job fair most efficiently? Your success at these events depends on creating a structured job fair strategy. 

Be sure you are keeping a great attitude throughout the event. Remember that your first impression can make or break your chances at getting that job offer. By allowing any frustrations or discouragement to show during your conversations, you are sending the wrong message to the recruiters about what type of employee you would be. There may be many job seekers with your same skill set, and a great attitude can set you apart from your competition. 

By attending the event and making a great impression on the recruiters, they will remember you when sorting through the hundreds of applications they receive. 

Click here to register for the job fair

 

 

 

Business Etiquette

Date:  Friday December 4th, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Presented By: Rebecca Marinelli

Rebecca is a Staffing Manager for BBSI, a large staffing agency with an office in the Denver area. Rebecca has substantial experience with what companies are looking for in job candidates who come in for an interview.

 

RSVP for this FREE Seminar by Wednesday December 2nd 

 

Phone 303-755-6885 or email Daniel@ABSRschool.com

Location: 5420 S. Quebec St., suite 100   Greenwood Village, CO 80111

 

Attending a job fair can be one of the most powerful tools available in your job search today - with a little preplanning. One thing to consider is the parking costs associated with attending the event.  If you are planning on attending the Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, at the Colorado Convention Center - parking in the garage will cost $10. To help you save money on parking, here are some tips:

• You may want to consider carpooling with a friend and share the parking fee

 

• There is a limited number of meter parking available, so come prepared with plenty of change

 

• Another option is to take the light rail or bus.  Visit www.rtd-denver.com for schedules and more information.  

See you Wednesday!

 

 

 

Attending a job fair can be one of the most powerful tools available in your job search today - with a little preplanning. One thing to consider is the costs associated with attending the event.  If you are planning on attending the Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, at the Colorado Convention Center - parking in the garage will cost $10. To help you save money on parking, here are some tips:

You may want to consider carpooling with a friend and share the parking fee. 

There is a limited number of meter parking available, so come prepared with plenty of change just in case you are in luck.

Another option is to take the light rail or bus.  Visit www.rtd-denver.com for schedules and more information.  

 

See you Wednesday!

All of us want to be more effective in some area of our lives.  Maybe it is finding the perfect job, making a big sale, being a better leader, being a more effective parent or improving our health.  “Do you have to be confident in order to achieve your desired results or does achieving your desired results make you confident”?  This question was posed by Dr. Julie Bell in her book, “Performance Intelligence at Work”.  Her question had me pondering my thought process when I reached my goals compared to when I fell short.  Every single one of us has our weak areas where we are less than completely confident in our abilities.  Overcoming these vulnerabilities is the key to reaching our goals.  Our minds are extremely powerful and we can coach ourselves to change our behaviors in order achieve our goals.

I occasionally have one of those days when I am just not “feeling it” and I’m less than satisfied with my performance is some area.  We’re taught to be optimistic and see our glass half full, but how do we change the way we think when we are feeling less than confident?  This is my strategy for cranking it up a notch:

At the end of the day, I think about what I accomplished and what went well rather than the stuff I didn’t get done on my list or where I failed.  Thinking about my accomplishments puts me in a more confident frame of mind; not to mention, I am a little more pleasant to be around.  Don’t think about your performance as all or nothing, success or failure.  It is a combination and a range of both.

The beginning of each day is all about reviewing my game plan. I think about changes I can make to improve my performance.  These are usually small things like adding more details to a message in order to be clearer.  Maybe you decide to focus more on your listening skills when speaking with a potential employer or client.   The change might be to remember to thank your assistant for his hard work or skip that piece of chocolate cake.  Coach rather than criticize yourself.

I keep my goals in mind, but it is more important for me to focus on the process rather than the outcome.  Are you taking the actions you need to take each and every day to get you where you want to go?  When thinking only about your ultimate goal, like being the top sales manager, landing the perfect job or running a marathon, it can seem overwhelming.  I find that I experience more success when my thoughts are focused on doing the right thing.  The positive outcome generally follows. 

Good Luck!

 

With so many people attending the job fair, what’s the benefit of pre-registering if there is a line to get in anyway?  By pre-registering you will save time because you won’t have to wait in line to fill out the registration form onsite. But remember, registering online won’t do you any good unless you print and bring the registration form with you to the event.  

Complete the online registration form by this Sunday before the event and we will email you a copy of the show program about two days before the event.  This gives you first look at who will be there and where their booths will be located; giving you extra time to create the perfect expo strategy!  

Click here to register for the job fair

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) revised it required equal employment opportunity poster. It now includes changes made by the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (GINA). The employment law provisions of GINA become effective on November 21, 2009. Employers must post the new EEO poster by then.

GINA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on genetic information. It also restricts employers from acquiring genetic information about employees and limits disclosure of genetic information.

The new EEO poster is on the EEOC website at www.eeoc.gov/posterform.html. The EEOC plans to also make the poster available in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

In addition to posting the new poster, employers should revise their EEO handbook policies to include genetic information as a federally protected class.

Remember too that Colorado's minimum wage has dropped, so a new state poster will also be necessary in January.

Mountain States Employers Council's members can choose to belong to an Update Service; subscribers receive a revised federal all-in-one poster automatically. This stops employers from having to figure out when updates are really necessary after getting an urgent email from a poster supplier. This is truly a good service to have.

As a job seeker in today’s economy you should be looking for every opportunity to stand out among the competition. Job fairs are a great way to meet face-to-face with hiring managers and get an edge over candidates who only apply online. With the recent spike in unemployment the dynamics of attending job fairs has dramatically changed, so how do you ensure you are using your time a job fair most efficiently? Your success at these events depends on creating a structured job fair strategy. 

With the increase in job seeker attendance, handing your resume to the recruiter is a thing of the past.  The main reason to attend the event is for the opportunity to speak directly with the recruiters.  It’s an opportunity to ask questions and gather contact information for your follow up.  Making a great first impression is very important, so when you apply online there is a reason for them to remember you. 

Most recruiters today will ask candidates to apply online rather than accepting a hard copy of their resume. This may seem strange because job fairs are intended to connect employers and job seekers face-to-face.  Remember that a resume is your tool to get the interview, but the online application is what the recruiter needs to gather the information that is important to them.  If a recruiter asks you to apply online, be sure you reference the conversation you had with them at the job fair in your cover letter. This will remind them of who you are and allow you to use information you learned at the event to show why you are a good fit for the organization.  This will position you as a well informed, serious job candidate. 

Click here to register for the job fair
 

Bio:

Sabrina M. Risley is the owner and founder of Behind The Moon, Inc.  Sabrina and her team organize several monthly networking events, which provide a unique means for entrepreneurs to promote and grow their business, and help their fellow entrepreneurs do the same. Sabrina also makes use of Behind the Moon’s new Referral Groups, their website and the company's Membership Program to further promote businesses. To receive a copy of Behind the Moon’s Networking for Success FREE report visit http://bit.ly/7Whyi 
 

Is this your job search philosophy: Well, if it sticks….?  

To say the least, the job market can be well – down right frustrating. The majority of people in this market did not necessarily enter the search market on their own accord and are now frustrated, feeling hopeless, and wondering if the searching will ever end.  

Most start off with high hopes that they will soon get a new position and are selective to which jobs and companies they apply to.  But there comes a critical point in a person’s job search when they start utilizing the “throw it to the wall, and see it if sticks” philosophy. This includes applying to positions for which you are overqualified, underqualified, are of no interest to you, or that you’d never accept if an offer was extended.  

The problem with using this philosophy is that you are wasting your own time, the hiring professional’s time, and creating even more angst, regret, lack of self-worth when even Starbucks won’t call you back. While the hopeless feeling might throw you into a frenzy, and the 2am panic attacks might tell you that any job is better than no job, throwing stuff to the wall in the long run isn’t a good strategy. In fact, it’s a downright bad strategy. 

Instead, get clear on what type of job you really want, what company you would like to work for, and start thinking of creative outside-the-box solutions to get you in front of the right people… people who could actually help you land that new job.  

Take some time to answer these questions:  

 

What is the work environment of my ideal position? (travel, work from home, have an office)

What is the culture and environment of the company? (hands on, team environment, independence)

What benefits are most important to me? (vacation, growth potential, flex-time)

What level do I need to be at to feel respected, appreciated, and fulfilled?  (entry-level/executive, salary requirements, etc.)

 

Once you have the answers to these questions, it’s easier to know which jobs to apply for and which to let the other seekers go after. You may think I am a bit crazy by suggesting you be selective on the positions for which you apply.  But the truth of the matter is that if the position isn’t right for you, the hiring person will detect this during the interview and will realize that you either (a) won’t last, (b) are using this as a temporary job fix or (c) that you lack passion and commitment and will therefore not make a good employee. 

Do yourself and your self-esteem a favor and don’t set yourself up to be rejected by the jobs that even you would reject.  
 

When attending a job fair, always check with the event organizer for the suggested dress code.  In most cases, traditional business, business appropriate or business casual is best. I’d suggest the difference depends on the level of job you are looking for. You can never go wrong with business appropriate. Remember, even if you know a specific employer you are targeting has a casual work environment, you always want to dress a level above the daily dress code. Remember, that company’s employees already have their jobs but you still need to impress the gate keepers.

Your appearance begins making a first impression before you even speak. Be sure your job fair attire supports your image as a professional who takes the job search process seriously and understands the nature of the industry you are targeting. Your attire should be noticed as being appropriate, but it should not take center stage.

Do:

·         Eliminate dressing distractions

·         Make it easy for others to stay focused on your eyes to build trust, credibility and clear communication

·         Wear a third piece: jacket, sweater or sweater vest

·         Business Suit: A two-piece matching suit is always the best and safest choice. A coordinating jacket and bottoms are appropriate as well.

·         Clothes should be clean, neatly pressed, and fit properly

·         Wear what fits and skims over your body (nothing too tight or too baggy)

·         Carefully inspect clothes for tags or tacking stitches, dangling threads, missing buttons, lint or pilling etc.

·         Dark neutrals such as navy, gray, taupe and black are safe choices. Solids or subtle patterns are fine.

·         Wool, wool blends, or good quality micro fiber are the best fabrics for seasons. Avoid acetate, rayon and synthetic blends as these can look cheap and hold odors.

·         Collared shirts demonstrate more authority

·         Polish shoes and cover any scuff marks. Make sure heels are not worn. Think professional but comfortable since you’ll be on your feet for several hours.

·         Leather Portfolio:  Use for taking notes, carrying extra copies of resume, letters of recommendation, samples, and business cards.

·         Hair: Should be well maintained. Be sure to keep up with trims and touch ups. If you’ve had the same hair style for more than 10 years, it’s time for a new look. Often, an outdated image sends a message that your skills, thoughts, and ideas are obsolete.

Men:

·         Business Casual: Khaki pants, nice collared shirt, comfortable shoes

·         Men’s Shoes: Leather, lace-up or slip-on business shoes, preferably black or cordovan. 

·         Notched-collar shirt: Long-sleeved shirts, even in summer. Choose white or light blue solid, or conservative stripes.

·         Undershirt: Be sure to wear

·         Tie: Select good quality silk ties. Avoid fashion extremes, like character ties, in interviews. Notice what men in your industry wear on the job, at career fairs, at information sessions, when they meet with clients.

·         Socks: Dark socks that match shoes or pants. Mid-calf length so no skin is visible when you sit down.

·         Accessories – matching belt color and fabric.

·         Leather portfolio: Preferred over a bulky briefcase. A small briefcase is also appropriate. But if you have no reason to carry a briefcase, don't; you risk looking silly.

·         Nails: Clean fingernails.

·         Facial Hair: If worn, should be well-groomed. Observe men in your industry if you are unsure what's appropriate or are considering changing your look.

·         Piercings: remove all earrings.

·         Jewelry: Wear a conservative watch. If you choose to wear other jewelry, be conservative. Removing earrings is safest. For conservative industries, don't wear earrings. Observe other men in your industry to see what is acceptable.

Women:

·         Pant Suits: Tailored pants suits are appropriate for women. Pants should be creased and tailored, not tight or flowing.

·         Skirt Lengths: Don’t be fooled by what you see women on popular TV shows wearing. Your skirt should cover your thighs when you are seated. A skirt that ends at the knee or just above when you're standing looks classy and professional. Longer skirts are appropriate too; just make sure they are narrow enough not to look like a prairie skirt, but not so narrow that you can't climb stairs comfortably. High slits are not appropriate.

·         Business Casual: Skirt (knee length) or slacks, nice shirt, comfortable shoes.

·         Women’s Shoes: Closed-toe pumps are the safest. No open-toed or sling backs. Heels should be 1 – 3 inch and covered (no wood heels). No stilettos or flats. Thin sole. No wedge heels or thick platforms.

·         Women’s Hosiery: Should be simple (no patterns), sheer (not opaque), and in neutral colors complementing your suit. Avoid high contrast between your suit and hosiery color.

·         Purse or Bag: A structured, leather business-like tote bag or purse is the best choice; micro fiber or fine wovens are also acceptable. If you carry a purse, keep it simple. Unless you have a reason to bring your laptop, don’t carry a briefcase as it may look silly or pretentious. Which ever you choose, just bring one (purse, tote or briefcase, as gathering your items will be awkward).

·         Jewelry and Accessories: Keep jewelry to a minimum and choose conservative, simple styles. No dangling earrings or cute jewelry.

·         Make Up: Keep conservative. A little is better than none for a polished look. 

·         Nails: Should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremely long nails and loud or fashion colors (no blue, black, green, yellow, etc). Be sure you don’t have chips. Clear or light polish is best.

 

Don’t You Dare:

·         Look shabby (unshaved, wrinkled clothes, scuffed or dirty shoes, chipped nail polish)

·         Show too much skin (no short skirts or low cut tops)

·         Wear fabrics that are too revealing (no see through tops or sleeves)

·         Wear clothes that are tight or clingy (this is not the time for hot pants, you want some room)

·         Wear anything that makes noise (no charm bracelets, bangles, jangling keys, or fabrics that make noise when you walk)

·         Wear too-casual clothing (no shorts, capris, spaghetti straps, tank tops, flip flops, sandals, or jeans)

·         Clothes and accessories best worn on the weekend or for sports (no baseball caps or logoed apparel)

·         Wear sexy, social clothes (don’t wear anything you would wear to a club)

·         Piercings: Remove any earrings beyond one per ear.

·         Perfume or cologne should not be used. No odors in clothes. Don't smell like smoke.

·         Cell phones should be turned off or on vibrate. Don’t take calls in a potential employer’s booth.

·         No chewing gum

·         Be mindful of what you eat the day before as food odors often find you the next day (especially garlic!)

On 11-1- In Sunday’ Denver Post a Front page article was written titled.

 “City woes end job security of staffers" It is obvious from the article that even the government suffers when the private sector suffers enough. When enough private jobs go south even the secure government worker can lose his job. So what is the answer?

Stop bashing business would be a good start. Stop looking to Washington for the asnwers would be good as well. I believe the economy will recover in spite of government efforts.

I believe like the founding fathers that big Government is not the answer. The problem is government creates nothing that is not originally funded by the taxpayer.  By money they have taken from you. I believe “government” in general, does more to screw things up then make things better. A glaring recent example being the way they have and can “print” more money when they need it. We have to earn money by providing goods and services that people want, they can print it. However, this only devalues it and causes it to be worth less..  Somehow, some in government think that they operate beyond the “laws” of the universe and economics and act so.

The very worse thing the government can do is create a negative attitude towards business in general. This can lead to another alarming sign. When the general publics attitude toward businesses gets to a point where they believe most businesses are corrupt. Now we have a real problem.

This is not to say there are not and, will not be in the future, dishonest, corrupt and greedy businessman and woman. This is like saying there will never be another corrupt, greedy or power hungry politician. But I believe in the faith and spirit of the American people. I believe in “The American Dream” that has made our economy the “engine” that has been the envy of the world. What I have learned over my many years in the training and placement field is that “poor” people do not hire people and that government is very inefficient in doing business. I also have learned that the majority of business in this country consists of “small” businesses. Any Chamber of Commerce membership list will bare that out.

 I don't believe in bashing government as it has it's place and role in our lives. In fact I own a small business. A “one man show”and am a contractor to the federal government. I train and support people with and without disabilities on how to find work.

The front page article in Sunday’s post regarding the purchasing technician and how he has been laid off from his job after 19 years with the city was very telling however. “You mean even “safe” “for life” government jobs are not safe? This is not hard. Where do people think the government gets their money from? My Mom used to say “Money does not grow on trees” She was right; it comes from the hard working people that risk it all for a chance to become “all” that you can be. The chance to make enough money to become “Rich”. Rich enough to travel, employ people, and give back to society in terms of volunteerism and financial donations. People have come to this country since it’s founding to be able to have a better life. Of course a better life is not just about money. But to be able to “risk it all” to reach your potential is why people have loved America .  Some people have forgotten what made America great.

I relent whenever I hear self righteous people bash “Profit”. I cringe whenever I hear politicians bash “The Rich”. (The fact is I believe most people would love to be rich.)

 The end result of bashing and over taxing, “Risk Takers” and Business Creators is “LESS JOBS”.

The GOLDEN GOOSE (business) has been made into an evil thing. The very fact that she’s lays lots of eggs and is successful is demonized. In fact she is told she needs to lay less eggs as laying to many eggs is harmful. (What are we going to do with all the egg shells?) So she no longer lays eggs at the same rate as before. In fact there becomes less Geese to lay eggs at all. Of course we are talking about companies not geese here. So the trickle down effect of this negative attitude happens. Eventually even the “safe” government worker is laid off due to lack of “tax” money. Welcome to my world. Try to be a disabled person looking for work in this economy.

 The fact is for this economy to rebound we must again realize what made it great in the first place. The vast majority of small business people risking it all to bring more opportunity and freedom to themselves and others.  The people that risk it all are the “real hero’s” I hope they make lots of money. With more money and more profit they will create jobs. And guess what with more jobs comes employment growth and more tax money to keep the government worker, as well as the rest of us employed.

Steve Gehrke

Aurora Colorado

SKG Career Services

720-231-8093

We would like to offer you a great special. 

Take any one of the following classes for $300 and get a free Resume/Interview Class.          

Classes you can take for $300:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Office
• Telecommunication

 
Take any one of the following classes for $450 and get a free Resume/Interview Class.          

Classes you can take for $450:

• Office Procedures
• Customer Service

Classes are given throughout the months of November and December.  Call us for dates on the classes listed above.

Thank you,

Accounting and Business School Staff

303-755-6885

Daniel@ABSRschool.com

Job hunting is NOT for wimps! Anyone who has been job hunting lately knows that!

Who knew that you’d need your own specialized skill-set to be successful at obtaining a job?

Let me name just a few of the qualities/skills you will need to have, or develop, if you are to be successful at getting a job in our current economy.  Allow me to be blunt, if you do not feel that you are strong in all of these areas, your chances of being successful will be lessened. Ask yourself, am I: courageous, organized, disciplined, prepared, persistent, good at follow-through and do I have high self-esteem?

I will cover each skill/quality in future blogs, but to start off, I’d like to talk about COURAGE, because it’s one of the ‘biggies’. It takes guts to put yourself ‘out there’ again and again. You don’t know what lies ahead; you are going into unknown territory. What questions will they ask? What exactly are they looking for? Will you be a good fit for their team? Every time you submit an application or go to an interview, you risk rejection (ouch-that hurts).  Yet, if you’re not willing to take risks, you’re not likely to succeed! 

COURAGE isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you develop through use. One great way to become more courageous is to do one thing every day that is outside of your comfort zone. Then, before that day is over, make sure you give yourself credit for taking that action. Notice how you feel about yourself. I’m willing to bet that you will begin respecting yourself more.

Here are a couple of quotes that I say to myself before taking a step, or leap, of courage:

“You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

I know how hard job-hunting is. Here’s a valuable tip: when you are able to acknowledge your fears, you won’t be stopped by them. When you face your fears, you free up your energy so your can move forward.

As always, having encouragement helps. (see that word ‘courage’ in there?) Find people who will help you develop your courage. Coaches are great at this. They are trained professionals who can help you develop and strengthen all of the qualities/skills mentioned above. Levya Braman, of Water’s Edge Life Coaching, is a coach with lots of experience in this area; you can also find numerous other qualified coaches in the Denver area at www.DenverCoach.com.

Submitted by: Levya Braman

Certified Coaching Professional

Denver Coach Federation Marketing Director 

Water’s Edge Life Coaching

(720) 470-7728

www.WatersEdgeLifeCoaching.com 

Continuing on my discussion about dress codes, I now turn to the sticky issue of religious discrimination and, particularly, head coverings. Religious beliefs are entitled to protection under Title VII (the Federal Statue that prohibits discrimination in the workplace).

The term "religion" includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief, and the definition of a "sincerely held belief" includes atheists. Under Title VII, an employer must offer a reasonable accommodation to resolve a conflict between an employee's sincerely held belief and a condition of employment – including a dress code – unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship for the employer.

Whether a belief is "sincerely held" determines whether that belief is entitled to the protections of Title VII, and making that determination is "more often than not a difficult and delicate task." What does it even mean?; even judges struggle to answer that question.  A dress code that restricts employees' ability to wear hats or headdresses have a disparate impact on employees who hold certain sincerely held beliefs and observe those beliefs through their attire. If employers take adverse employment actions against employees because of their religious headdress, or unreasonably fail to accommodate an employee's religious observance or practice without undue hardships on the conduct of the employer's business, liability could result.

Despite this difficulty, courts remain willing to engage in the exercise of confirming that an employee has a "religious" or sincerely held belief, and that the headdress is actually protected religious expression under Title VII.

The cases on this issue run the spectrum of unpredictable to "did you make that up?"  For example, in McGlothin v. Jackson Municipal Separate School District, the court held that the discharged employee failed to establish that she wore African-style head wraps based upon her religious beliefs, and therefore failed to prove a violation of Title VII. Instead, the McGlothin court found that the employee's beliefs were "cultural." By contrast, a Washington state court held that it was discriminatory to refuse to promote a server to a more desirable shift because she wore a Muslim headdress.

In addition, an Ohio state court held that the Catholic Church discriminated against an employee by firing him for wearing a monk's hood without formal recognition from the church. The court held that the church failed to prove that allowing plaintiff to wear the hood presented an undue hardship. 

Even if appearance issues are directly tied to an employee's religion, an employer may be able to regulate headdresses to a certain extent. Safety concerns provide a good example of this exception. A New York court held that an employer may require all employees to wear hard hats, even if doing so interferes with an employee's religious expression or belief that requires wearing a headdress or other covering.

This article is intended as a general discussion and information on the topic covered, and is not to be construed as rendering legal advice. If legal advice is needed, you should consult an attorney.

This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the author. Laura J. Hazen is a Director at Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, P.C. In her employment practice, Hazen provides day-to-day advice and coaching to public and private companies on various employment matters. She also has an active litigation practice where she concentrates on representing business in all aspects of complex business and employment disputes. You can contact her by email at lhazen@irelandstapleton.com or by phone at 303-623-2700.