Im looking for a way to stop my boss from making me shave.

Im prepared to shave but i want to see what other options i have like, is it possible to come up with my own religion/spirituality I could use? Information like that would be helpful.

If your about to post something like, 'just shave!' then you've never had a beard or understand its meaning, let alone the meaning of life.

Serious answers only please.

There are websites dedicated to this. Most non-food or health related companies won't have a problem with a well maintained beard. Just show up groomed appropriately, and you will be fine.

I thought some denominations of Islam were required to have beards but with the current climate of Islamic acceptance in the world, pretending to be Muslim is probably not worth it.

How large is your beard? If it's large enough to be an issue you really should trim it down to something more reasonable.

If you work in food then just start wearing a beard net.

Yeah, just keep it groomed and it shouldn't matter. But at the end of the day, it's your boss's call on how his company is presented, so if he still wants you to shave, you'll either have to keep shaving or find a different place to work.

Hmm, making you shave your beard seems pretty extreme. Couldn't he just fire you?

I like keeping a beard but I don't think searching for a religious reason is right. Give your beard the respect it deserves and stand up for it.

Ask human resources what the facial hair policy is for men and do the minimum you are allowed to get away with. Human resources trumps your boss in those matters. Don't lie about anything or use false religious reasons. You end up looking like a piece of shit and a liar.

Ok, serious answer? I have a beard, and honestly if you not prepared to shave or keep a clean beard for your job, you are either in the wrong job for you or you are a poor employee. Also I should say that faking a religion because you can't be bothered to shave is deplorable to say the least.

This is a question for your employee policies handbook that is required to be available to every employee, either electronically or physically. Get your hands on a copy, read through the important parts thoroughly, and find out what you can and can not do (or find a loophole).

Simple. Grow your beard faster than they can shave it.

Have an awesome job where they don't give a crap what you look like. That's why I love being in the enterainment industry...I don't even own slacks.

@philliochapps: It would be helpful if you let us know what your work is. If you're a razor salesman, a drag queen, or something else where being beardless is probably important, you might just want to explore a more beard-embracing field.

If not, the religion excuse works, at least in the US (check your local laws accordingly). It should be enough to vaguely say that you need to keep it for religious reasons, as an employer is forbidden to even specifically inquire about your personal beliefs.

Some sects of Islam require facial hair after a certain age, Hasidic Jews demand a beard, and I believe Sikhs are also generally bearded. Of course, if you want to play muslim, you'll have to pray towards Mecca probably three times while you're at work (but hey, there's some extra breaks!). If you go Hasid, you'll have to always dress simply and rock some payot, but that's a pretty rad look anyway. If you go the Sikh route, you'll have to never cut your hair, but you can put it up in a sweet dastar. And you're religiously bound to carrying around a dagger! But Sikhism is largely considered to be based around an ethnic group, so unless you have Indian heritage, you should probably avoid that altogether.

Honestly though, your boss is trying to create their business in the best way possible in their eyes and their employees should embrace that. So if they insist on a clean face, and you can't bear it... get a new job.

I find it hard to believe there is a rule about shaving or having facial hair. I can see if it is unruly or ugly; but well groomed clean hair is typically all that is required. Even in food service they have beard masks precisely because an employer cannot make you shave unless you signed a contract about not having hair.

I woudl get a employee handbook and look at that first. I would then trim yourself up and wash if needed. And, then lawyer up if they fire you without a good cause or a defined rule you broke.

Wait... only two forum posts? Jeff, is that you with a anonymous account? Jeff, If CBSi is going you shit for the scraggy-semi-beard you just tell them its the best you can do.

Let him know that in the Navy, people are allowed to have beards if they can grow them within 2 weeks. Does he really want to argue with the Navy?

Favourite post title ever.

Keep in mind, if this is a small enough company they can pretty much fire you for any reason.

Is your boss George Steinbrenner?

You could say it's part of your religious faith but not sure how far you'd want to go with it. Another thing you could do is find another job or transfer out if possible who knows.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/justice/arkansas-prisoner-rights-beard/

It's the internet. I think there's some kind of law that demands it.

Grrrr! I hate you!

Anyhoo, you haven't really said what you do for a living, and why he would want you shaven for it.

Depends on the job. I work at McDonalds and I have to shave.

Is your beard a hideous mess? Does it look like it might have a birds nest or a rabbit warren in it or something? If not, that sounds like a pretty unreasonable policy.