Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think acne is no reason to turn someone down for a job?

57 replies

SkullPointerException · 19/09/2018 06:24

Just what it says in the title, really. This was something that came up during a panel discussion on potential hires yesterday.

As it happens, the colleague who mentioned it, HR and myself were all in agreement that he wasn't suitable for the position anyway and for other reasons, so I never had to decide whether or not to kick up a fuss over the comment.

I'm still massively taken aback that a senior person in a large enterprise would come out with that, though.

It's true that we face clients in our daily work, but we're professionals, not cosmetics sales staff. And, yes, I know it's not attractive when it's severe.

Having said that, IMO it pushes the boundaries of discrimination really hard. I couldn't turn someone down for a job they can physically do because they're in a wheelchair (that's illegal) but acne is somehow okay?

AIBU or is my colleague?

OP posts:
smurfy2015 · 19/09/2018 07:51

Makes me sad as well.

I am a wheelchair user now and separately to that I have a severe rare dermatological condition which leaves me with tumours all over my body, it doesn't look pretty and it is painful. I often have to have them biopsied as well so its all fun.

My MH issues go way back and SH has been a feature over the years so scars from that too.

It didnt stop me working when I was able to, I was as professional as the rest of my colleagues and understood my clients on a different level.

Acne is a medical condition which is caused by hormones and skin elements which are out of our control.

YANBU

Snipples · 19/09/2018 07:54

Its a pretty appalling attitude but it's not discrimination unfortunately. Like a PP said, people who are very overweight struggle to overcome "looks bias" also. It's a hideous world sometimes.

user838383 · 19/09/2018 07:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gwenhwyfar · 19/09/2018 07:59

"The thing is, in the instance in the OP, the panel had already decided the person wasn't right for the job, so you can't really call discrimination. "

Yes, but it shows that the manager considers acne to be relevant, which means that he discriminates against people based on looks in general. He should be in charge of recruitment.

MumUndone · 19/09/2018 08:01

Halo effect - cognitive bias in which our impression of a person (including how they look) informs how we judge specific traits such as how clever they are. Hence attractive people tend to do better in interviews. And why interviewing is a poor way of selecting candidates.

BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 19/09/2018 08:02

Oh, I agree Gwen- it is an appalling attitude, I just mean it would (sadly) be almost impossible to prove discrimination.

DontBoreMe · 19/09/2018 08:02

You said there were other, more valid, reasons - I'd focus on those rather than a "and they're spotty" type comment.

It's not discrimination anyway as Acne doesn't really fit in any of the protected characteristics - "Disability" would be pushing it & quite frankly offensive to disabled people....

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 19/09/2018 08:17

How depressing. It makes me wonder if the candidate was really unsuitable for the job, or if everyone just sought to find unsuitability because of the acne.

You can find reasons to reject any candidate if you just don't like them. It won't show up in the paperwork, but I have seen it done many times, by people who would deny (including to themselves) that they were ageist or racist.

Aeroflotgirl · 19/09/2018 08:18

This is wrong on so many levels, and opens up a whole can of worms. Would you discriminate against somebody with a disability tgat affects their appearence! Something that they have no control over Hmm

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 08:27

Not quite sure how saying that someone with severe disfiguring, confidence sapping acne is akin to a disability is insulting to disabled people. Disabilities take all forms. No-one has said it's an actual disability just that people are being discriminated against for a physical medical condition that is beyond their control and that's unfair.

Spudlet · 19/09/2018 08:33

That is really shit. I can think of very few jobs where clear skin is essential (modelling, perhaps, and even then not always) and that's about it. My sister has adult acne and is miserably self-conscious about it, with incredibly low self-confidence and severe anxiety. For her, just applying for a job and getting to an interview would be a huge achievement. Finding out that her skin was even a factor in the hiring process would devastate her.

I would think a lot less of your colleague. What a tosser.

FruitofAutumn · 19/09/2018 09:25

I am obese and I don't think it has hindered me in the slightest in getting a job

Twotailed · 19/09/2018 09:40

That is absurd and no reason not to hire someone - even for a cosmetics role! One of the girls who works at my local Mac counter has very severe acne and i think it’s a really good thing because she’s obviously very knowledgable on how to do makeup with acne and she can advise customers who also have acne on the best products.

Not hiring someone just because they have acne is unfair and discriminatory. It’s a normal part of being human. Your colleague is being VVVVVU.

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 09:47

Yes, I know aeroflot. My DSs are suffering terribly. As I said, DS1s has returned 6 months after doing 7 months of roaccutane and he's waiting to go back to dermatology and to decide if he wants to go through that all over again. He's back on permanent antibiotics and creams. DS2 has bad scarring on his face, chest and back. he was approved for NHS laser treatment due to the severity but as the consultant has retired he's been thrown of the list and told to start the process all over again in a years time :( as he is only 17, we are struggling to find alternative less invasive treatment for him while waiting. It is soul destroying and confidence sapping. Neither are able to work up the confidence to get part time work. DS1 has grown a beard to try to cover it and DS2 has his hair long to hide behind. To think some wanker would deny them employment because of that is heartbreaking.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 19/09/2018 09:51

Can you talk to the HR person who was in the interview with you? Did they hear the comments? I know it is a dodge but could you say how uncomfortable it made you feel but you don't feel able to raise it directly with the manager. Then maybe HR could have a word/ do some retraining, particularly before they interview anyone else to remind them to stick to the job criteria. I doubt it is only acne that would be commented on by that manager. If they were overheard then legal action could be taken against the company.

HunnidBands · 19/09/2018 10:09

To focus on the terminology for a second, as said upthread, the idea that there is ‘bad’ and ‘good’ skin is also damaging.

Who the hell decided there was such a thing as BAD skin? Like skin can somehow be evil, or nasty?

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 10:14

It's not even just the general public Hunnid. On the first visit to the dermatologist, she kept saying to DS that his acne was awful and terrible and just in a very matter of fact way to him, not in soft voice/sympathetic way. I understand that she will see that type of stuff every day but her terminology really didn't help with his confidence.

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 10:15

Oh and I forgot nasty. "that acne really is very nasty" :(

Singlebutmarried · 19/09/2018 10:19

To whoever hoped I’d suffer from acne. Thanks. I have, and I’ve had almost boil like ones appear and burst and leak. Hence the open pustules comment. I wouldn’t have been able to work around food. I was rancid.

That’s an extreme example though, and several hundred pounds of treatment later I’ve now got ok ish skin.

pumpastrotter · 19/09/2018 10:20

Having adult acne, this is really upsetting to read and it has been a worry during meeting/interviews for me as to how people are looking at my skin. The person coming to the interview would definitely be aware of how they look and probably embarrassed of it in the first place, what a disgusting attitude your colleague has to think it's ok to mention it regardless of whether they were not right for the job anyway.

Acne cause massive embarrassment and anxiety, mine got so bad a couple of years ago I was taking time off work and couldn't go outside on particularly bad days. It's physically painful and destroys your self esteem.

Your colleague should be impressed this person had the balls to walk into an interview when they probably felt like crap and self-conscious.

Littlemissdemeanour · 19/09/2018 10:26

I think it’s really nasty and having had bad skin as a teenager and young adult I would not be able to sit and listen to this blatant discrimination. Is there a whistleblowing policy?

I’ve had laser and I’m fortunately my skin looks almost perfect these days with make up, but I still (like many others who have suffered) have a huge crisis about leaving the house without, and when I break out.

Jobs should be given on merit, not appearance. So what if the person was on a make up counter? Wouldn’t they be a great help to many of the customers who may be seeking the same?

As a society we need to be less focused on the superficial, and how people look. Looks fade, and good skin comes and goes.

Shame on your colleagues.

HunnidBands · 19/09/2018 10:30

I was rancid.

You would actually describe yourself as ‘rancid?’

Yeah. I don’t think so

HunnidBands · 19/09/2018 10:32

I feel for your DSs, WaxOn. My friend’s life has been blighted by this shit

Catastic · 19/09/2018 10:41

This thread is bloody awful. Horrendous to think people are judged like this by inconsiderate assholes.

I work with some lovely young people and it saddens me to think they could be judged on something not at all relevant on their ability to do the job 😢.

Waxon my DS was on the medications, which helped a little, but what really helped was getting rid of the dairy from his diet. Amazing that something so simple could be so effective. Woody Harrelson talked about a similar effect. Perhaps something your DS could consider? He went from constant red outbreaks to small pimples just on his neck within a few weeks.