Private life
"Cover your tattoos, and get a haircut."
The company sets rules on clothing, tattoos, piercings or hairstyle.
§ 106 GewO / Art. 2 GG / § 87 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 BetrVG
It depends …
Clothing: often yes. Interfering with your appearance outside work: rarely.
The company may set rules on appearance if there is a legitimate reason: safety (no rings at machines), hygiene (tie hair back in the kitchen), customer contact (uniform clothing). Covering tattoos during work can be required in customer-facing roles. The more a rule interferes with your personality rights and affects you beyond working hours — e.g. cutting your hair or removing a tattoo — the weightier the reason must be; that is rarely permissible. Rules may not discriminate, e.g. on grounds of religion (AGG). Where there is a works council, a dress code is subject to co-determination.
What the law says
§ 106 GewO – Right to give instructions
Instructions on order and conduct must be reasonable, i.e. weigh the interests of both sides.
Art. 2 (1) GG – Personality rights
Everyone has the right to the free development of their personality; this includes outward appearance.
§ 1 AGG – Ban on discrimination
Discrimination on grounds of religion, belief, origin or sex is prohibited — including through dress rules.
What you can do
- Ask for the reason behind the rule — safety and hygiene are usually justified.
- Prescribed uniforms must generally be provided by the company.
- Long sleeves or plasters for tattoos are a common compromise.
- For religious clothing (e.g. headscarf), get advice first.
Email template for your trainer
Subject: Rules on appearance
Dear [name of trainer],
you have asked me to [rule]. I would like to follow the company's rules and would ask for a short explanation of the reason behind it.
For everyday work I suggest [compromise, e.g. long sleeves / hair tied back].
Kind regards
[Your name]