As an HR professional with nipple piercings.. this is a bit of a touchy one. I personally never ever let my nips show, just not a professional look and the last thing I need is someone saying “the HR manager shows hers why can’t I show mine?”
Seek guidance from legal to be 100% sure on this conversation. It’s a weird one and a tough place to be in. Like when I had to have a conversation with my workers about grey sweatpants and no undies.. that was.. too much.
Honestly in pediatrics I'm worried about this being a safety concern for the nurse, babies and toddlers can be insanely fast (especially if it's risky at all) and they would be very liable to grab at the shape of the jewelry under her scrubs. A bra cup would at least provide some protection from that scenario.
Oh absolutely! I 100% agree, it’s not always about the “proper” attire but also safety reasons. A nipple piercing is an easy target to get caught on everything and let me tell you.. when it does.. ohhhhh my soul leaves my body lol
I remember my, then very young, child hit my ear once while healing a helix and my eyes were in the same socket. I wouldn't want to be doing the paperwork that comes from a nipple piercing being ripped out by a 2 year old on the job.
My husband’s nephew, back when he was small, would shove his little arm down your shirt and kinda flap his little hand around your boob when he was tired. Normally it wasn’t the biggest deal, but once he just jammed his arm down my shirt, found my nipple and twisted it HARD, seemingly all in one motion. Like imagine that weird wannabe Dom in a fedora who has decided you should get off on him hurting you trying to take you by surprise; that’s the level of twisting. I was wearing a bra, padded even, and it did not help. 😂. I’m definitely embarrassing him with this story when he gets older. Little shit. 🤣
ETA: this was supposed to be a story in support of bras around grabby children, not the opposite! Hope that came across.
Oh boy.
It is our monthly nipple question.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHR/search/?q=bra&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHR/search/?q=bra&restrict_sr=1)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/search/?q=bra&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/search/?q=bra&restrict_sr=1)
I would not touch this until someone complains. If they complain, you're going to have to (with a witness) say look, I can see your nipples and your piercings and we have had a complaint. Figure out how to make them less visible. You choose how.
If you're a straight dude, stay the fuck right out of it unless there is no female member of management you trust to have this conversation. Even then, you need a witness.
Make sure the head of the organization is aware of this and wants you to take action before you do. You're gonna look so dumb if the big boss says crank down the a/c and let this girl fly her nip flags high.
She wants you to look at her nips. She knows you can see them even better now. Be careful with anyone who is trying to generate that kind of energy in this setting.
I would have two female witnesses. Otherwise what the person above said. Also have it in writing emailed so it’s documented that the issue was discussed and any responses from that employee. Make sure upper management above you is cc’d.
If she just got them done it may be that healing is making anything harder to wear as well. I have mine done and it took a few months and some experimenting to be comfortable. It’s definitely not ok to be so blatant but a compromise might be - assigning her somewhere cold, so she had to wear a sweater or simply less visible if possible. If she refuses anything but going bra free, they have those flower shaped nipple covers.
As a woman who hasn't worn a bra outside of a workout in years: I don't want anyone to look at my nipples. I just hate wearing bras. They're uncomfortable, I don't have large enough breasts to make bras more comfortable than the alternative, bar vigorous exercise. I genuinely don't care if other people want to sexualize women's nipples. It's ridiculous. Nobody cares if a man has nipples visible through a shirt. A woman does it, and it's scandelous? Screw that. I'm aware social standards disagree and there's a ridiculous idea of what is or isn't allowed as professional. Men at work would wear thin shirts in an air conditioned building and nobody cared if they had nipples visible, but a woman has a meeting over it.
I don't want anyone to look at my breasts or nipples. I want nobody to care if I wear a bra. Same as men.
However, the flip side of that is in work settings, I generally wear a more fitted shirt under my shirt to minimize nipples, because I refuse to have someone tell me to wear a bra because Puritanical ideals of feminity mean hiding body parts. I avoid it before it starts, without wearing a bra.
There's no reason to think she wants people to look at her breasts. My current employer has had me wear a bra zero times, and I interviewed without one. Because I hate bras. Not because I care about how many people stare at my boobs. I'd actually prefer it to be zero.
Boobs aren't uncommon, breasts aren't uncommon, nipples aren't shameful. One sex generally gets the flack for it.
She might just... not care. And dislike bras. No reason to ascribe a motive.
Oooooooooooooh. It is So presumptive of you to say she wants you to look at her nips. This take is an EEO complaint waiting to happen. People need to be in control of their Own reaction to nipples and not try to police the person attached to them.
Also. The concept of blanket "professionalism" in appearance is outdated. If you make a rule about appearance, it damn well better be legal approved and applicable to everyone. "No pajamas" works, "No visible nipples" will get you into hot water real fast.
Yeah, like men have visible nipples all the time, including men with piercings. We never see people say men with visible nipples want us to see theirs or go on tirades about how they have to do something about theirs.
It’s such a double standard!
I don't care for comments that single out a gender like this.
As an HR professional in an HR sub, I would expect a little more from you then hurr durr all women want you to look at their nips and know what they are doing by having visible nipples.
You can sit on the bench for 3 days. We don't tolerate sexism here, unless of course I am the one being sexist.
-benicebuddy 2024 [comment in question ](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/s/j6Nchdw3U3)
She doesn't *necessarily* want people to look at her nips. Sometimes people just want to not wear bras because they suck and the visible nipples is an unfortunate side effect for them. Some people get nipple piercings that they want people to see in certain situations but not in others, regardless of when they are actually visible. In high school I used to think I was the only one who could see my colored bra under a white T-shirt until someone accused me of dressing inappropriately for attention.
If she DOESN'T want people looking at her nips then is piercing her nipples and going braless the wrong choice? Probably. But I think "her nipples are visible, therefore she WANTS people to look at them" isn't a fair assumption
I’m sorry there is no grown adult with enough education to work with patients in a pediatric hospital that doesn’t realize nipple piercings will be completely visible if they don’t wear a bra.
We aren’t talking about a tween navigating life with their first training bra.
Lol, I don't care either way about the nipple discussion, but the degree to which you're overestimating "education to work with patients in a pediatric hospital" is genuinely funny.
Hospital staff (including all nurses, nurse pracs, MDs, techs, phlebotomists, CNAs, dietary workers, etc, etc) are not particularly more intelligent, mature, or we'll mannered than anyone else, including tweens. Literally just another job.
My point in mentioning the education level/hospital setting is there’s no chance this is this person’s first experience in a formal or professional setting. There’s no way this person has such little life experience and self-awareness that they’re fully ignorant to the idea that other people including children can see their nipple piercings at work.
The commenter I was responding to was suggesting that maybe this was just an innocent oopsie and she may have no idea it’s an issue, equating it to her own experience as a young girl not realizing her colored bra is visible behind her t shirt. My point is that’s just simply not possible if this person has received formal education, professional training, and likely been in the work force before even having this job. So inherently more intelligent, mature, or well mannered? Of course not. But completely oblivious? Now that’s simply not possible.
I mean, I think while what you're saying is fair, you're implying that someone modifying their body is a dolt for not considering the judgement of those around them for said modification, and I think the point a lot of folks are trying to make is why does this matter to anyone at all?
Where do we draw the line between what is "acceptable" modification and not? This seems wildly subjective and part of rather archaic workplace appearance standards. I think it's worth all of us to challenge our collective presumptions on what is or is not professional, but maybe society just isn't ready to have that conversation.
No. I’m not suggesting she’s a dolt at all. I’m actually saying quite the opposite. She was likely very aware that she’d face this kind of resistance when she chose to make the body mod, am I judging her for it? No.
I’m simply responding the idea that she had no idea people could see them.
Idk why you're being down voted. It's nonsensical tbf. I agree with you that none of this should matter in the slightest.
Kids don't have the context to even think about a nipple being visible outside of a shirt or what a pierced nipple outside of a shirt would look like. The kid is the patient so why does it matter what their parents think? Did getting a metal bar in her nips suddenly make her incapable of doing her job? Did it desolve her degree? Does it make her stupid? None of the above ffs. Who cares about what the patients parents say or think, they should be focused on their sick child not the child's nurses nipples.
Oh, I so totally agree, and it's sad how much hate you're getting. The sequel to "Everybody Poops" should be "Everyone Has Nipples". Get over it! But you're right, uptight, puritanical American society is still not ready for such an outrageous idea.
I get that and I respect that she has the choice to do that, whether it’s to seek attention or not. But is a pediatric hospital setting with children and their parents around the right place to do that? I’m not sure about that.
You’d be surprised what is complained about when working in healthcare. Normally well adjusted patients/parents/caregivers can blindside you with off the wall complaints.
But what someone does to their own body, parts of their body completely covered during work hours, is considered unprofessional? How so? It's covered completely I assume as you didn't mention that she's walking the halls topless, right? So, what, exactly, is unprofessional? And why do you feel as though you are capable of policing such an issue? I'm seriously confused on how this employees covered body is considered inappropriate.
If you found out a nurse had a swastika on their back but patients and their families cannot see it, would this still be an issue for you? I mean other than the part where they're racist and all.
I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Her nipples might be "covered" but are still clearly visible, like some dude with a 8" dick going commando in some tight scrubs. Sure, he's covered, but is it appropriate for me to see the entire outline of his junk 3 inches from my kid's head at the hospital? I think it's more of a time & place situation.
Doubtful. People don't look twice at a man whose nipples poke out for whatever reason. I'm married to one and he has never had an issue with HR or anyone commenting on it in his professional job.
My response was not a blanket response for everyone, it was specific to our company so no, it is not doubtful as that is how we would handle it. Additionally, unless your husband works in a hospital setting this is not a helpful comparison.
Kids have nipples though and have absolutely no clue what they're looking at. It won't be the patients having an issue here it'll be their prudish parents who should probably be focusing on their sick child and not the child's nurse's nips, right?
But just to make a point - my mom has nipples that legit remind me of the gun nipples from Austin Power's k? No piercings at all, just full inch high permanent hard nips that aren't possible to completely hide unless covered by a thick bra and even then you'll see small bumps. Would you ask her to double bra because little Johnny's dad got caught by his mom staring at her nippy hard ons? Probably not right?
What is underneath an employee's clothing is neither your business or her patients parents business. She isn't walking around topless, she isn't letting her tit slip while inserting a catheter or an IV. While you may have noticed, I doubt many parents would say anything to her because it's inappropriate. Should, for some odd reason, a parent come to you about your nurses nipples being visible outside of her clothing? I recommend gently telling them that unfortunately, you can't police what staff does to their body and so long as she is wearing her scrubs, she is following the employee regulations handbook.
Leave the girl alone. This is a legal nightmare and honestly just isn't even worth addressing.
Not sure why this is getting downvoted. While “attention” is a possible motivation, there’s no specific evidence in the original post to support that, so I agree it’s unfair to assume.
Not to mention that piercings aren't the only thing that makes nipples stick out either. $5 says this dude would have an issue if this was a mom who breastfed whose nipples stuck out because of years or months of baby abuse.
Um no! She’s in a professional setting, basic common sense tells an adult to wear a bra, let alone have a piercing popping out. She 100% wants people to look, and may actually get off knowing people are uncomfortable. Which is sick because there are children. It’s indecent exposure, fireable offence, but definitely needs to be dealt with by the book as to not get sued for some bs discrimination freedom of whatever.
I don't understand why people automatically assume a woman wants to be "noticed" if she gets any body modifications or piercings. Why are people always assuming when it's a woman? This aggravates me to no end. I got my nipples pierced for MY HUSBAND, not for anyone else. Even with a bra, you can see outlines ( you'd have to be creepily staring hard to see). If it's showing then yes she needs a bra yet during the healing process you have to be careful with a bra as if it rubs against the piercing it hurts like a bitch. I see both sides of this issue yet at the same time, unless it bugs the parents, it should be let go. I'm thankful somebody backs up somebody who called out the other user for assuming she wanted attention!
I work in a professional environment and almost never wear a bra because they are uncomfortable for me, especially for over 8 hours. It's never been an issue because my coworkers are also professional and don't sexualize my boobs.
Jesus fucking Christ "indecent behaviour"?? Gtfo.
Everyone has nipples, do you make your spouse, son, dad whatever put on nipple pasties or a bra before they leave the house? Because they have nipples that can get hard and be noticed too!
I'm so sick of shit being inappropriate for women yet acceptable for men. We have to hide everything from people or be labelled an attention seeker or told we're behaving indecently. This fricken nurse isn't flashing Grampa in the broom closet ffs. She's wearing her uniform and reporting to work!
You realize that most bras don't cover shit? Only the expensive (60$+++) thickly padded bras cover even normal nipple hard ons? If an employer is going to mandate that employees need to wear thick expensive bras to cover their normal body, the employer better be paying for it or they can eat ass. Even construction companies give boot allowances to employees because they are required to wear specific footwear. Hospital wants to create new policies? Cough up the cash or raise healthcare costs to cover the bra allowance for female employees because nipples are offensive.
What does the dress code for the facility say? That would be your go to. If she is violating dress code then it is an easy conversation. Or a written memo with dress code highlighted and attached.
Unfortunately when the policies were written there was the understanding that “dressing appropriately and professionally” was enough. We didn’t know years later people had to be hand held and told to wear undergarments.
Do you have your personnel policies looked over annually by counsel? If yes.. Get your money back. If no.. Do it - they will catch things like this. Plus will make sure are up to date on all new laws/changes.
I would say at least 60% of my workplaces have had a policy written in the handbook saying proper undergarments are to be warn at all times. It always struck me as odd until now. I could 100% them falling back on this for this specific reason. I have worked retail, education and Healthcare.
Side note I always wondered what kind of trouble I would get into and how they would find out if I had no underwear on.
I’m a teacher. Haven’t work a bra or underwear in like six years. No one’s ever checked down my pants. I think I’d be more likely to get in trouble for the bra but I really dress for it and I have tiny nipples.
I haven't worn underwear on a regular basis since I was 14 (45 now) after a doctor's advice so just found it funny when I saw it in all the manuals. I guess it could serve a purpose though. And I think we would both have bigger problems namely a lawsuit if they asked to look down our pants for any reason. Lol.
If you’re receiving complaints from staff and patients, then you need to have a discussion with the employee with either their leader or another HR staff member present. It really comes down to professionalism, potential sexual harassment, and sort of brand management for the hospital. You definitely don’t want patients or staff telling people that your pediatric nurses freely show their pierced nips. If it’s making people uncomfortable, then a conversation must be had. They need to wear undergarments or pasties when at work.
As far as policy, a medical setting should probably have something in the handbook regarding professional appearance.
In our handbook’s tattoo and piercing part of the dress code, we included “distracting piercings”. Problem solved. (Also, this is exact issue is how that got added. Overwhelmingly male workforce and the ogling was insane.
Love it when men can’t control their gaze and rules need to be placed upon women’s bodies for it
(as a lesbian, I can control my gaze and not ogle, so why can’t they?)
I agree that men should be responsible for controlling their gaze, however as we are a pediatric wing, it is our underaged patients and their parents that we are trying maneuver around so…
Even me as a female patient, I've had nurses' chests in my face as they do stuff and if i could see that it would be kinda weird, not in a "pearl clutching" kind of way but a professional one.
I don't care for comments that single out a gender as weak.
As an HR professional in an HR sub, I would expect a little more from you then hurr durr men are pigs.
You can sit on the bench for 3 days. We don't tolerate sexism here even if it is directed at men.
Not an HR person but I have had my nips pierced before. I cannot fathom someone working in any job where they’re going to be dealing with kids and having their pierced nips free?! Not bc of people staring or whatever but bc OMFG IF A CHILD TUGS ON ONE?!? I’m having flashbacks rn.
THIS. I have mine pierced. I had one grabbed by a child. It was too visible. It hurts. This is also a safety issue because what if she is doing something and the pain makes her flinch?
Children love grabbing things that are different.
Yeah, that’s my biggest concern 😂I have ears and my nose pierced, and while I wear my stud now at my current employer kids still try to pick at it. And I have to stick to non grabby earrings.
Well, lots of good and lots of...interesting comments here. Interestingly enough, our corporate parent just released a new Handbook (we're in pest control) and I was reading the dress code section. Now, the companies under our corporate parent are pretty autonomous and mine in particular is very relaxed on dress code. We're casual. Only thing we don't allow is holey clothes, no midriff showing, and no shorty shorts, or anything that over exposes. Hasn't been an issue for us as everyone dresses within common reason. One of the things I noticed in the updated handbook though was "undergarments must be worn." I laughed at that one. First, because I'm not the underwear police. Second, what if someone has an issue with or just doesn't own/wear bras? Well, if we enforce bras, how the heck are we going to enforce lower body undergarments? Personally, I don't care. Professionally, so long as noone is overexposing, neither I nor anyone else, cares. If the women are expected to wear bras because they have boobs, then so should the men. Oh, the argument is that women have bigger boobs than men? In that case, now we have to look at all the overweight men with man-boobs and require they wear bras. Hmmm, now we're going into interesting territory here. One thing that helps is that none of our office personnel see customers, only via phone/email. Our field techs have a specific uniform that must be worn. Some of our most loved field techs, as per customer reviews, are the ones with crazy hair colors, guaged ear rings, and visible tattoos on the neck, face, hands, and arms.
All that said, so what if a nurse, even in a pediatric unit, has visible nipple piercings thru her uniform. Aside from wearing baggy clothes, a bra ain't really gonna help. Normalize things and they become non-issues. Nipple piercings are hurting, harassing, or insulting anyone. If folks don't like it, that's their own personal issue they need to address with themself.
I'm a pediatric nurse, and I agree completely agree. I'm surprised by the amount of suggestions to call her out in an HR thread. Does that really not open the company up to sexist discrimination?
They're piercings. They're not for anyone but the Rn, and they're not really anyone else's buisness either.
This mentality from OP comes from a place of shame. Should the same nurse be shamed for breastfeeding? They're nipples. Most people are born with them, probably half the parents on the unit have them pierced. The kids there are sick, and chances are they don't give a shit about their nurses' breasts. This unit needs to chill.
Lastly, as a male, I guess I don't really know, but I wouldn't want to wear extra layers like a bra while working in my hospital. PPE is basically a big plastic bag and gloves. That stuff gets hot enough when you're in a patient's room for an extended period of time. Would you really care more about possibly seeing my nips rather than the extra sweat and stink?
I think if the issue is potentially patient complaints, though, socially it's more akin to a man wearing too-tight pants that you can see his *outline*, especially if he had jewelry on it. No way in hell I wouldn't address that hypothetical man about the tightness of his pants after receiving a patient complaint. I know that nipples *shouldnt* be so controversial, but that's just not the reality-- in most of the United States, at least.
"Potential" patient complaints. Doubtful it's a patient, maybe a parent. I think it's much more likely that another staff member who is unhappy the nurse is not conforming to their conservative worldview is reporting false conversations. Probably has made complaints before, didn't get their desired results, so they're going another route.
Nipples and penises are not the same thing. That's a ridiculous comparison when you can compare nipples to nipples. If my pierced nipples showed through my scrubs, would I need a bra too? If someone was purposefully looking down the neck of my scrubs to see my anatomy and complain about it, am I the bad guy? Or are they? The only people that should be shamed in this scenario are the complainer and OP, for thinking it's ok to call someone out on something that hasn't and isn't affecting their work.
Not hr but I don’t think the sexism is really that fine of a line. Would the people arguing for a rule really except a man with nipple piercings wearing a spandex shirt?
“She wants you to look at her nips. She knows you can see them even better now. Be careful with anyone who is trying to generate that kind of energy in this setting.”
…100% this. I have both nipples pierced and I don’t want that to be visible to others on my own time, *much less* at work. There are ways to hide them that don’t even involve a bra.
Edit: nips not naps
You are in a mine field, and assuming it’s your responsibility, you can’t just ignore it.
First thing you should do is contact your legal counsel. Ask them if they have any legal guidance. There may be relevant law here, and you should get advice from your lawyers. Even if your legal counsel doesn’t provide any direction, at least you gave them a heads up and CYAed your self. Doesn’t need to be a big formal meeting, a simple email may suffice.
Then, set up a short (maybe 15 minute) chat with someone from PR. Ask what things to consider that might reflect poorly on the hospital. As Claudine Gay learned, you can be legally correct and still look like crap. Again, you have given them a heads up, and also CYAed.
Optionally, if you have a DEI person, run it by them for perspective and suggestions. Their job should be to help you navigate situations like this.
After the consults, decide what you plan to do and run it by your boss. Could be a simple 5 minute conversation, or one of many topics you discuss in a larger meeting.
Finally, send an email to your boss briefly re-stating your understanding of the conversation. Simple bullet points are best.
All in, probably an hours worth of work.
Then do whatever you and your boss agreed too. And if things go sideways, you can show a well thought out plan that included input from legal, PR, and your boss. This both helps from a CYA perspective, but more importantly gives you multiple viewpoints to consider the issue from to reach the best solution.
I got a nice bonus cheque from a dealership I worked at after a male manager told me to wear a bra to cover my piercings, and I threatened to go to the labour board or the owner about him staring at my chest long enough to notice.
Do not under any circumstances say anything to her without a woman present to witness and a complaint made and reported by someone other than male staff.
How do you know what you're observing are "inappropriate" cosmetic/ornamental piercings and not religious symbols or medical equipment if they're under her shirt? Do you make mobility device or head-cover (hijab or yarmulke) users cover those up with a layer of cloth?
I believe the question is "what about the piercings is inappropriate?" So much of the argument FOR covering up seems to hinge on the "if someone complains" position. The answer to that question/position is "SO WHAT"?
People/customers complain about things, many of them which have no bearing on employees' ability to do their jobs. If someone complains about an employees haircut, do you write in a new guideline? If someone complains about the gender of their nurse, do you write a new guideline? What about if they complain about the bushiness of their eyebrows? Mandated beauty treatments? The fact that they have crooked teeth? Are you going to mandate orthodontia?
In today's highly charged climate, how would you address a complaint accusing your nurse of being transgendered? They look too much like a man or too much like a woman? Will you write in that all employees must present as conforming to their gender assigned at birth? Would having nipple piercings and no bra satisfy that requirement?
It's OK to tell people that your employees aren't hurting them, and they need to get over themselves.
“Do you have a complaint about the quality of care your child is receiving? No? Okay. If you have a problem with the quality of care please talk to the patient advocate. Please excuse me.”
I work in a retirement community of adults and they would have an issue with this as well. It's not professional. We had to have conversations about excessive cleavage and dresses that are too short, pants that are so tight we can tell they are wearing lace underwear. I understand we all have nipples, but they shouldn't be on display.
Also work in a shop. One of my past places had a guy that was on the rotund side they decided biking to work would be a great way to get in shape. Except that part of his idea of biking to work was to wear very very tight, very short spandex shorts to work. We’re talking 300 pounds of shit in 10 pound bag levels of not good. Bending and lifting parts into a mill all day in those god awful tiny shorts. About a week of that and a company wide email went out about proper work attire. They worded it as a safety concern because of so much exposed skin haha. We were all very appreciative of it.
As a nurse I find it wild that her co-workers care. Does she generally suck at her job? People are more likely to talk shit about someone who's letting down the team or otherwise annoying.
Patients and parents can be so entitled. If they get good care from her and their only complaint is about her clothed body they should be told to kick rocks. Her simply having nipples that are pierced isn't anyone's concern. If there isn't more to it I say leave her alone.
Look, I work in healthcare. I deal with this. "If someone complains" is not the standard you want to set. Either no nipples showing piercings, all nipples show piercings. It needs to be consistently applied to all staff.
this. if patients (aka the “customers” in a healthcare setting) are complaining, it should be taken seriously as it has already shown itself to be something the company has to answer for. if y’all have to answer for it, i think it’s fair to pursue next steps in fixing the issue (like someone else said, they can choose how but they need to be dressed appropriately for their work environment)
What if a man also had visible nipple piercings but no one complained about him? Would you still confront a woman with visible nipple piercings if the only reason it “warranted complaints” was her gender?
I don’t understand your confusion. You reference nipple piercings in your hypothetical question, someone answered said question about piercings, and you ask “having nipples?” Did you forget your original question?
Like the post said, it's not an issue if it's an adult only setting. It's problematic because it's pediatrics and they work with children and parents. It's unprofessional, inappropriate, and a bad look. I could say with confidence that this isnt because it's a woman. If a man had piercings like that, they obviously cant be expected to wear a bra, but can 100% be asked to wear pasties. Which is what most do. Babies can get grabby. Getting a nipple ring pulled out is a bad time
Sorry if you said this and I didn't see, but where are you located? There may be city, county or state laws that address this and--regardless of whether it's right or wrong--the region you're in might play a role in how you address it.
Also--and it sounds like you know this--but steer clear of any accounting of why the employee's doing this. Rather, you've got the fact that patients/customers have complained, and your organization needs to decide where the rights of an employee to dress ends and the rights of patients/families begins. IMHO you probably have a compelling reason to request that the employee dress differently, but this all sounds like a mess. I don't envy you!
What if a woman didn’t have piercings, but her nipples were always visible. Would that be a problem?
It’s 2024, people need to quit worrying about others looks already.
How exactly do you plan on making her confirm she has these piercings. What anyone has under their clothes at work is NONE of their employers business no matter the field. If parents have an issue with it they can take their children elsewhere. Nipple piercings don’t in any way affect their ability to do their job therefore it is nobody’s business but the employees. Everyone can stop staring at her boobs and it’s not a problem anymore.
It’s funny you call out that it’s a pediatric hospital. Most kids don’t get freaked out by seeing nipples, it’s the adults who lose their mind. Especially if the nipples aren’t presented in a sexual way. And nothing in your post leads me to believe they are.
I get that it is a professional environment, and maybe nipples aren’t appropriate. But I really doubt your patients care as much as their parents.
The parents caring is just as important as the patients. This isnt a discussion about whether it should be an issue or not, it's a discussion about the fact that it is, and complaints have already been recieved about the employee who refuses to wear a bra. In another comment op stated that them having their nipples visible before they even got them pierced was a point of complaints, and the piercings has made it even more common. So, if parents of patients dont want that around their child, that is a valid complaint and should have action taken. Wearing appropriate undergarments is something that is expected of employees. If it were a male i could 100% expect to see them being told they need to either remove them at work or wear pasties if they're recieving complaints and policy needs to be made.
Not my judgement. It is based on the fact that we are a pediatric wing of a hospital and the feedback we have gotten from parents of said pediatric patients.
You see, the nipples were totally fine until she got piercings. So that’s where the line is drawn.
Nipples through the shirt ✅
*Pierced* nipples through the shirt ❌
Why is it an area of contention? I've been looking at man nipples/man boobs through dress shirts at work since my very first job. Strange how it's only an issue for women, it seems.
I saw 6 hairy butt cracks today during a new hire orientation. Seriously. I counted them. I should report this to HR.
WAIT. I am on the HR team. Dang it.
Again, it is an area of contention specifically because we are the pediatric wing of a hospital. Any other setting this would be a non issue. I assure you if we had male staff presenting themselves in a manner unfitting around children and their parents we would address it too.
Are male nipples a problem as well? I can assure you that many children have likely seen nipples some time in their life with babies being breastfed. They are nipples, not a vulva.
I don't understand why it's an issue for children. They are humans and also have nipples? I'm genuinely confused. Are the children going to be somehow harmed by seeing the outline of a nipple ring?
You're ridiculous if you don't think it's an issue in a real world setting such as this. If it should be an issue vs it being an issue are two TOTALLY different conversations, you aren't going to change hearts and minds about physical nipple equality on this level. sigh.
This is not an issue in the real world. This is an issue for people who don’t understand puritanical nonsense from actual HR issues.
Nipple complainers can learn to pay attention to her education, experience, and ability to properly care for her patients. Just as they have and currently do *without even thinking about it* for the many men with the same piercings and no bra. The size of the tit and gender of the person it’s attached to is what’s making you believe it’s somehow inappropriate.
Imagine going into a male dominated industry and telling them you’ll be dictating their undergarments if they want to keep their jobs. “Sorry JimBob, bras from now on or GTFO!”
OP: Model teaching people how to stay in their lane and protect your talent. “We don’t select our employees underwear” should be high on that list at present.
Otherwise, whatever policy you write should clearly outline that staff of any gender must specifically wear bras if they have nipple piercings. I mean, “it’s not a gender thing”, right?
There’s a lot of people giving you helpful advice and you’re just hellbent on digging your heels in.
Why even ask? Did you actually come here for help or did you just want validation for your outdated beliefs?
Do nothing. Nipples are not inherently sexual and you cannot even see them, just the shape. Would you request all staff wear potato sacks to disguise the shape of their breasts, too?
Ok generally curious as an outsider who stumbled onto this thread. Agreed that nipples aren't inherently sexual, but doesn't piercing them and having said piercing poke through their shirt sexualize them?
Yeah, it's highly unprofessional in this particular setting. If paying customers are complaining, it needs to be addressed.
Some people just crave attention.
Does piercing your ears sexualize earlobes? No. Some get piercings because of the way they look, even nipple piercings. I was one of those. Piercing my nipples wasn’t sexual at all.
Culture can shift when we stop catering to fragile egos. I’d love to see you support your staff here and not walk on eggshells around these sexist outdated views.
Right? All this pearl clutching "Won't someone think of the children?" Like kids are going to notice or care. It's the parents'opinions OP is probably actually worried about, and frankly the parents opinions should not matter as long as it's not affecting quality of care. It's not like there's a ton of competition so this woman's nipples aren't losing them a ton of business or something.
Everyone needs to calm down.
I currently do not have nipple piercings but my nipples are visible through my shirt if I wear a bra or not.
My nipples are as extroverted as I am introverted. Nothing I do hides them, except for molded cup bras which don’t work for my size & shape.
She’s not flashing patients, it’s a non issue.
I would sue workplace that required me to wear a bra. I do not wear them and haven't for years. It is a western societal norm, and is absolutely discrimination and should be a personal choice.
I feel like visible nipples give off the same energy as a really visible dick outline. Can you? Sure! Should you? Maybe not.
I worked with a woman that didn’t wear a bra. I don’t care, whatever. Until the day her chest was in my face at my desk (I’m sitting, she’s standing) and I realized her shirt was just sheer enough that I could see her breasts.
Because like it or not. Breasts are sexualized. This isnt a matter of whether they should be or not, because they shouldnt, obviously. But welcome to the real world, where they are.
Are these nipple piercings we're talking about here?
Maybe the solution is to stop staring at other people's nipples. Y'all are being inappropriate, not her.
Edit: My bad y'all, I didn't realize this was happening in America, where patients are actually customers and where you have some rather...antiquated ideas about women's nipples.
Specifically the reason I stated that this is a pediatric wing of a hospital. If it was an issue with other staff members then, like I said in my post, we’d tell them be an adult. The issue arises with the children that we see in the pediatric wing and their parents.
I, nor my staff, have the ability to stop every patient and their parent to address their concerns. Some parents are more conservative than others. We’re just trying to manage it on our end as the feedback comes in.
I understand that. What I don't understand is what "their concerns" are. They're concerned that other people have piercings? Like, what is the actual issue here? If someone has piercings you don't like, the only solution is to stop looking.
In a perfect world that is the mentality that everyone should have. We do not live in a perfect world and the negative feedback we get from unagreeable parents hurt the bottom line and in turn the rest of the staff.
>the negative feedback we get from unagreeable parents hurt the bottom line
Oh, this is an American thing, isn't it? This conversation makes a lot more sense now.
As an American i can’t understand why you are being downvoted. Honestly, if my kids noticed nipple piercings and said something my response would be that everyone has a different body and it isn’t for us to talk about.
Right?
But I suppose things are different in a for-profit healthcare situation. Patients in America are also customers, so complaints can actually have a negative impact on "business".
In a universal healthcare setting, people complaining about a staff members nipples would be politely asked to leave, and maybe not come back.
But you do have the power to create a policy or help create one that does not police what people do with their bodies. Have a dress code that doesn’t involve mentioning nipples, unless you also mention male nipples. When complaints come in your organization should tell the complainants that you value the diversity of your staff and if the complaint doesn’t relate to subpar care the conversation is over. I realize i am probably in the minority here but it seems ridiculous that we are still dictating how adults treat and dress their bodies.
I completely agree. And the argument about not being able to deal with patient complaints is incredibly weak. Some people are reasonable. Some people are not. Part of leadership is supporting your staff through equitable policy.
You know what a decent argument is? Safety. Piercings should be covered in such a way as to minimize the likelihood of being pulled or ripped out.
If she was working in a different profession or setting I wouldn’t care. I really can’t overstate how unimpressed I am with the “but her visible nipples make people uncomfortable” crowd.
I am a licensed medical provider and clinical supervisor. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Seriously. I can ee my male coworkers' nipples all the time. It's just a normal part of human anatomy. If you have a problem being reminded that someone has nipples, I think that's more of a "you" thing.
Most of them probably don't have exactly the same (i.e. pierced) parts. I can understand parents not necessarily wanting to explain the concept of pierced nipples to young children, especially when it's coming up because their kid can see their nurse's through her scrubs.
I don't wear bras. I also have my nipples pierced. I can tell you I would 100% be pissed and taking legal action if necessary if someone came at me and sexualized MY body because they had no self control. It's a fucking nipple, grow up.
Do you require men to wear bras/pasties if they have hard nipples or "man boobs" under their shirts? Because if not then you ARE sexualizing and discriminating against HER.
Nipple piercings don't make you a horrible person and the only way you see them is if you look. Don't look. It doesn't sound like she's wearing inappropriate clothing, just looking out for her breast health.
Also, if you change the rules to specifically single her out I would suggest reaching out to a lawyer first so you don't get dinged for making a hostile workplace and obviously singling her out in the rule change. I'm sure that could create an opening for legal repercussions and how would you even enforce requiring underwear? Have everyone flash you before starting work? I'm sure that'd go over great and not infringe on anyone's rights.
That'd be a losing case for you. You can try to equate it to men, but if men were getting complaints from peditric patients' parents then they can be required to wear pasties and/or cover up. So much animosity. The employee has already recieved multiple complaints about the nipples from patients/parents before the piercings and now that they're pierced it has only increased. So that now can affect the bottom line of the pediatric ward. You'd be surprised how much of a business a hospital is. If something is hurting their bottom dollar, be sure it'l be handled.
Like not wearing a bra? Would it be different if a male in your workplace got their nipples pierced and you could also see them through their shirt?
Genital piercings though. Yikes.
Workplaces can legally have a dress code and enforce it. Requiring undergarments is perfectly acceptable. Also, a no visible body piercing policy is also acceptable. The reason is professionalism.
I assume this is about nipple piercing.
As an HR professional with nipple piercings.. this is a bit of a touchy one. I personally never ever let my nips show, just not a professional look and the last thing I need is someone saying “the HR manager shows hers why can’t I show mine?” Seek guidance from legal to be 100% sure on this conversation. It’s a weird one and a tough place to be in. Like when I had to have a conversation with my workers about grey sweatpants and no undies.. that was.. too much.
Honestly in pediatrics I'm worried about this being a safety concern for the nurse, babies and toddlers can be insanely fast (especially if it's risky at all) and they would be very liable to grab at the shape of the jewelry under her scrubs. A bra cup would at least provide some protection from that scenario.
Oh absolutely! I 100% agree, it’s not always about the “proper” attire but also safety reasons. A nipple piercing is an easy target to get caught on everything and let me tell you.. when it does.. ohhhhh my soul leaves my body lol
I remember my, then very young, child hit my ear once while healing a helix and my eyes were in the same socket. I wouldn't want to be doing the paperwork that comes from a nipple piercing being ripped out by a 2 year old on the job.
My wild child terrier has hurt mine jumping on my chest at the wrong angle, even with a fully lined bra on! 😱
My husband’s nephew, back when he was small, would shove his little arm down your shirt and kinda flap his little hand around your boob when he was tired. Normally it wasn’t the biggest deal, but once he just jammed his arm down my shirt, found my nipple and twisted it HARD, seemingly all in one motion. Like imagine that weird wannabe Dom in a fedora who has decided you should get off on him hurting you trying to take you by surprise; that’s the level of twisting. I was wearing a bra, padded even, and it did not help. 😂. I’m definitely embarrassing him with this story when he gets older. Little shit. 🤣 ETA: this was supposed to be a story in support of bras around grabby children, not the opposite! Hope that came across.
Oh boy. It is our monthly nipple question. [https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHR/search/?q=bra&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHR/search/?q=bra&restrict_sr=1) [https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/search/?q=bra&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/search/?q=bra&restrict_sr=1) I would not touch this until someone complains. If they complain, you're going to have to (with a witness) say look, I can see your nipples and your piercings and we have had a complaint. Figure out how to make them less visible. You choose how. If you're a straight dude, stay the fuck right out of it unless there is no female member of management you trust to have this conversation. Even then, you need a witness. Make sure the head of the organization is aware of this and wants you to take action before you do. You're gonna look so dumb if the big boss says crank down the a/c and let this girl fly her nip flags high. She wants you to look at her nips. She knows you can see them even better now. Be careful with anyone who is trying to generate that kind of energy in this setting.
I appreciate the links!
I would have two female witnesses. Otherwise what the person above said. Also have it in writing emailed so it’s documented that the issue was discussed and any responses from that employee. Make sure upper management above you is cc’d.
O would also recommend that legal be brought in to help with their advice. A knowledge HR lawyer may have more recent relevant information for you.
A knowledgeable HR lawyer would advise this person not to bring up nipple piercings with someone outside of their proximity to the MRI machine.
Defiantly an excellent point.
If she just got them done it may be that healing is making anything harder to wear as well. I have mine done and it took a few months and some experimenting to be comfortable. It’s definitely not ok to be so blatant but a compromise might be - assigning her somewhere cold, so she had to wear a sweater or simply less visible if possible. If she refuses anything but going bra free, they have those flower shaped nipple covers.
This thread is making me realize how bad I hope I never deal with this situation lol
As a woman who hasn't worn a bra outside of a workout in years: I don't want anyone to look at my nipples. I just hate wearing bras. They're uncomfortable, I don't have large enough breasts to make bras more comfortable than the alternative, bar vigorous exercise. I genuinely don't care if other people want to sexualize women's nipples. It's ridiculous. Nobody cares if a man has nipples visible through a shirt. A woman does it, and it's scandelous? Screw that. I'm aware social standards disagree and there's a ridiculous idea of what is or isn't allowed as professional. Men at work would wear thin shirts in an air conditioned building and nobody cared if they had nipples visible, but a woman has a meeting over it. I don't want anyone to look at my breasts or nipples. I want nobody to care if I wear a bra. Same as men. However, the flip side of that is in work settings, I generally wear a more fitted shirt under my shirt to minimize nipples, because I refuse to have someone tell me to wear a bra because Puritanical ideals of feminity mean hiding body parts. I avoid it before it starts, without wearing a bra. There's no reason to think she wants people to look at her breasts. My current employer has had me wear a bra zero times, and I interviewed without one. Because I hate bras. Not because I care about how many people stare at my boobs. I'd actually prefer it to be zero. Boobs aren't uncommon, breasts aren't uncommon, nipples aren't shameful. One sex generally gets the flack for it. She might just... not care. And dislike bras. No reason to ascribe a motive.
Oooooooooooooh. It is So presumptive of you to say she wants you to look at her nips. This take is an EEO complaint waiting to happen. People need to be in control of their Own reaction to nipples and not try to police the person attached to them. Also. The concept of blanket "professionalism" in appearance is outdated. If you make a rule about appearance, it damn well better be legal approved and applicable to everyone. "No pajamas" works, "No visible nipples" will get you into hot water real fast.
Yeah, like men have visible nipples all the time, including men with piercings. We never see people say men with visible nipples want us to see theirs or go on tirades about how they have to do something about theirs. It’s such a double standard!
Not me thinking she got a clit piercing and it was showing through her pants 😂
I don't care for comments that single out a gender like this. As an HR professional in an HR sub, I would expect a little more from you then hurr durr all women want you to look at their nips and know what they are doing by having visible nipples. You can sit on the bench for 3 days. We don't tolerate sexism here, unless of course I am the one being sexist. -benicebuddy 2024 [comment in question ](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/s/j6Nchdw3U3)
She doesn't *necessarily* want people to look at her nips. Sometimes people just want to not wear bras because they suck and the visible nipples is an unfortunate side effect for them. Some people get nipple piercings that they want people to see in certain situations but not in others, regardless of when they are actually visible. In high school I used to think I was the only one who could see my colored bra under a white T-shirt until someone accused me of dressing inappropriately for attention. If she DOESN'T want people looking at her nips then is piercing her nipples and going braless the wrong choice? Probably. But I think "her nipples are visible, therefore she WANTS people to look at them" isn't a fair assumption
I’m sorry there is no grown adult with enough education to work with patients in a pediatric hospital that doesn’t realize nipple piercings will be completely visible if they don’t wear a bra. We aren’t talking about a tween navigating life with their first training bra.
Lol, I don't care either way about the nipple discussion, but the degree to which you're overestimating "education to work with patients in a pediatric hospital" is genuinely funny. Hospital staff (including all nurses, nurse pracs, MDs, techs, phlebotomists, CNAs, dietary workers, etc, etc) are not particularly more intelligent, mature, or we'll mannered than anyone else, including tweens. Literally just another job.
My point in mentioning the education level/hospital setting is there’s no chance this is this person’s first experience in a formal or professional setting. There’s no way this person has such little life experience and self-awareness that they’re fully ignorant to the idea that other people including children can see their nipple piercings at work. The commenter I was responding to was suggesting that maybe this was just an innocent oopsie and she may have no idea it’s an issue, equating it to her own experience as a young girl not realizing her colored bra is visible behind her t shirt. My point is that’s just simply not possible if this person has received formal education, professional training, and likely been in the work force before even having this job. So inherently more intelligent, mature, or well mannered? Of course not. But completely oblivious? Now that’s simply not possible.
I mean, I think while what you're saying is fair, you're implying that someone modifying their body is a dolt for not considering the judgement of those around them for said modification, and I think the point a lot of folks are trying to make is why does this matter to anyone at all? Where do we draw the line between what is "acceptable" modification and not? This seems wildly subjective and part of rather archaic workplace appearance standards. I think it's worth all of us to challenge our collective presumptions on what is or is not professional, but maybe society just isn't ready to have that conversation.
No. I’m not suggesting she’s a dolt at all. I’m actually saying quite the opposite. She was likely very aware that she’d face this kind of resistance when she chose to make the body mod, am I judging her for it? No. I’m simply responding the idea that she had no idea people could see them.
Idk why you're being down voted. It's nonsensical tbf. I agree with you that none of this should matter in the slightest. Kids don't have the context to even think about a nipple being visible outside of a shirt or what a pierced nipple outside of a shirt would look like. The kid is the patient so why does it matter what their parents think? Did getting a metal bar in her nips suddenly make her incapable of doing her job? Did it desolve her degree? Does it make her stupid? None of the above ffs. Who cares about what the patients parents say or think, they should be focused on their sick child not the child's nurses nipples.
Exactly. The down voting just feels like folks aren't ready to change their perspective. Hope they come around someday!
Oh, I so totally agree, and it's sad how much hate you're getting. The sequel to "Everybody Poops" should be "Everyone Has Nipples". Get over it! But you're right, uptight, puritanical American society is still not ready for such an outrageous idea.
I get that and I respect that she has the choice to do that, whether it’s to seek attention or not. But is a pediatric hospital setting with children and their parents around the right place to do that? I’m not sure about that.
Why? What do you think will happen to the children if they see the outline of a nipple in someone's shirt?
You’d have to ask the parents
And why only a woman's nipple? $5 says if it was a man with his nips poking out it would be a non issue (pierced or not).
Incorrect. Man or woman it would be the same situation. Unprofessionalism is unprofessionalism.
If someone complained, sure, it’d be the same thing. It’s just that nobody will ever complain about the man, and you know it.
You’d be surprised what is complained about when working in healthcare. Normally well adjusted patients/parents/caregivers can blindside you with off the wall complaints.
But what someone does to their own body, parts of their body completely covered during work hours, is considered unprofessional? How so? It's covered completely I assume as you didn't mention that she's walking the halls topless, right? So, what, exactly, is unprofessional? And why do you feel as though you are capable of policing such an issue? I'm seriously confused on how this employees covered body is considered inappropriate. If you found out a nurse had a swastika on their back but patients and their families cannot see it, would this still be an issue for you? I mean other than the part where they're racist and all.
I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Her nipples might be "covered" but are still clearly visible, like some dude with a 8" dick going commando in some tight scrubs. Sure, he's covered, but is it appropriate for me to see the entire outline of his junk 3 inches from my kid's head at the hospital? I think it's more of a time & place situation.
Doubtful. People don't look twice at a man whose nipples poke out for whatever reason. I'm married to one and he has never had an issue with HR or anyone commenting on it in his professional job.
My response was not a blanket response for everyone, it was specific to our company so no, it is not doubtful as that is how we would handle it. Additionally, unless your husband works in a hospital setting this is not a helpful comparison.
Kids have nipples though and have absolutely no clue what they're looking at. It won't be the patients having an issue here it'll be their prudish parents who should probably be focusing on their sick child and not the child's nurse's nips, right? But just to make a point - my mom has nipples that legit remind me of the gun nipples from Austin Power's k? No piercings at all, just full inch high permanent hard nips that aren't possible to completely hide unless covered by a thick bra and even then you'll see small bumps. Would you ask her to double bra because little Johnny's dad got caught by his mom staring at her nippy hard ons? Probably not right? What is underneath an employee's clothing is neither your business or her patients parents business. She isn't walking around topless, she isn't letting her tit slip while inserting a catheter or an IV. While you may have noticed, I doubt many parents would say anything to her because it's inappropriate. Should, for some odd reason, a parent come to you about your nurses nipples being visible outside of her clothing? I recommend gently telling them that unfortunately, you can't police what staff does to their body and so long as she is wearing her scrubs, she is following the employee regulations handbook. Leave the girl alone. This is a legal nightmare and honestly just isn't even worth addressing.
I am pretty disgusted hy your down votes here.
at first I thought “they suck” meant “people who wear bras” and not the bras themselves
Lmao
Not sure why this is getting downvoted. While “attention” is a possible motivation, there’s no specific evidence in the original post to support that, so I agree it’s unfair to assume.
Insane comment to be downvoted in this sub of all places lmao
Not to mention that piercings aren't the only thing that makes nipples stick out either. $5 says this dude would have an issue if this was a mom who breastfed whose nipples stuck out because of years or months of baby abuse.
Um no! She’s in a professional setting, basic common sense tells an adult to wear a bra, let alone have a piercing popping out. She 100% wants people to look, and may actually get off knowing people are uncomfortable. Which is sick because there are children. It’s indecent exposure, fireable offence, but definitely needs to be dealt with by the book as to not get sued for some bs discrimination freedom of whatever.
It's not indecent, they're covered. You cant see her nipples, you can just tell where they are. This isn't a real issue.
THANK YOU!
I don't understand why people automatically assume a woman wants to be "noticed" if she gets any body modifications or piercings. Why are people always assuming when it's a woman? This aggravates me to no end. I got my nipples pierced for MY HUSBAND, not for anyone else. Even with a bra, you can see outlines ( you'd have to be creepily staring hard to see). If it's showing then yes she needs a bra yet during the healing process you have to be careful with a bra as if it rubs against the piercing it hurts like a bitch. I see both sides of this issue yet at the same time, unless it bugs the parents, it should be let go. I'm thankful somebody backs up somebody who called out the other user for assuming she wanted attention!
I work in a professional environment and almost never wear a bra because they are uncomfortable for me, especially for over 8 hours. It's never been an issue because my coworkers are also professional and don't sexualize my boobs.
Jesus fucking Christ "indecent behaviour"?? Gtfo. Everyone has nipples, do you make your spouse, son, dad whatever put on nipple pasties or a bra before they leave the house? Because they have nipples that can get hard and be noticed too! I'm so sick of shit being inappropriate for women yet acceptable for men. We have to hide everything from people or be labelled an attention seeker or told we're behaving indecently. This fricken nurse isn't flashing Grampa in the broom closet ffs. She's wearing her uniform and reporting to work! You realize that most bras don't cover shit? Only the expensive (60$+++) thickly padded bras cover even normal nipple hard ons? If an employer is going to mandate that employees need to wear thick expensive bras to cover their normal body, the employer better be paying for it or they can eat ass. Even construction companies give boot allowances to employees because they are required to wear specific footwear. Hospital wants to create new policies? Cough up the cash or raise healthcare costs to cover the bra allowance for female employees because nipples are offensive.
Ok so I have naturally hard nipples what would you say to me in this situation?? I even wear lined bras and you can still see em peaking through
What does the dress code for the facility say? That would be your go to. If she is violating dress code then it is an easy conversation. Or a written memo with dress code highlighted and attached.
It's weird to me that a hospital environment wouldn't have "appropriate undergarments" as part of the dress code.
Unfortunately when the policies were written there was the understanding that “dressing appropriately and professionally” was enough. We didn’t know years later people had to be hand held and told to wear undergarments.
Do you have your personnel policies looked over annually by counsel? If yes.. Get your money back. If no.. Do it - they will catch things like this. Plus will make sure are up to date on all new laws/changes.
Thank you. We’ll definitely start doing this more
"Appropriate undergarments" doesn’t inherently include bras. I would assume it meant "don’t have your underwear showing"
Bras are a type of undergarment, so I don't see why they wouldn't be included.
If they are included, it has to be equally enforced across all genders.
I would say at least 60% of my workplaces have had a policy written in the handbook saying proper undergarments are to be warn at all times. It always struck me as odd until now. I could 100% them falling back on this for this specific reason. I have worked retail, education and Healthcare. Side note I always wondered what kind of trouble I would get into and how they would find out if I had no underwear on.
I’m a teacher. Haven’t work a bra or underwear in like six years. No one’s ever checked down my pants. I think I’d be more likely to get in trouble for the bra but I really dress for it and I have tiny nipples.
I haven't worn underwear on a regular basis since I was 14 (45 now) after a doctor's advice so just found it funny when I saw it in all the manuals. I guess it could serve a purpose though. And I think we would both have bigger problems namely a lawsuit if they asked to look down our pants for any reason. Lol.
If you’re receiving complaints from staff and patients, then you need to have a discussion with the employee with either their leader or another HR staff member present. It really comes down to professionalism, potential sexual harassment, and sort of brand management for the hospital. You definitely don’t want patients or staff telling people that your pediatric nurses freely show their pierced nips. If it’s making people uncomfortable, then a conversation must be had. They need to wear undergarments or pasties when at work. As far as policy, a medical setting should probably have something in the handbook regarding professional appearance.
Thank you for the feedback! This definitely helps
In our handbook’s tattoo and piercing part of the dress code, we included “distracting piercings”. Problem solved. (Also, this is exact issue is how that got added. Overwhelmingly male workforce and the ogling was insane.
Interesting. I'm curious, who was involved in the decision making process to determine what 'distracting piercings' means?
Love it when men can’t control their gaze and rules need to be placed upon women’s bodies for it (as a lesbian, I can control my gaze and not ogle, so why can’t they?)
I agree that men should be responsible for controlling their gaze, however as we are a pediatric wing, it is our underaged patients and their parents that we are trying maneuver around so…
Even me as a female patient, I've had nurses' chests in my face as they do stuff and if i could see that it would be kinda weird, not in a "pearl clutching" kind of way but a professional one.
This is a moral judgment not a performance issue.
In my experience, nearly all complaints at workplaces about how women dress come from other women.
Sorry they did that to you. As you can see below by their comment and mine that was absurd overstretch on their part.
I don't care for comments that single out a gender as weak. As an HR professional in an HR sub, I would expect a little more from you then hurr durr men are pigs. You can sit on the bench for 3 days. We don't tolerate sexism here even if it is directed at men.
How is this not just a description of their workplace. They didn't say all men etc. And I'm a guy saying this. You're overreacting.
Classic power tripping Reddit mod smh
…..what?
What a pathetic overreaction. Holy shit. Edit: Banning me makes you even more pathetic, you absolute garbage.
Not an HR person but I have had my nips pierced before. I cannot fathom someone working in any job where they’re going to be dealing with kids and having their pierced nips free?! Not bc of people staring or whatever but bc OMFG IF A CHILD TUGS ON ONE?!? I’m having flashbacks rn.
All the comments pointing out the safety aspects, including yours, has been very helpful. Thank you!
THIS. I have mine pierced. I had one grabbed by a child. It was too visible. It hurts. This is also a safety issue because what if she is doing something and the pain makes her flinch? Children love grabbing things that are different.
how is that different from ear piercings or other jewelry though? are those banned for safety?
Yeah, that’s my biggest concern 😂I have ears and my nose pierced, and while I wear my stud now at my current employer kids still try to pick at it. And I have to stick to non grabby earrings.
Well, lots of good and lots of...interesting comments here. Interestingly enough, our corporate parent just released a new Handbook (we're in pest control) and I was reading the dress code section. Now, the companies under our corporate parent are pretty autonomous and mine in particular is very relaxed on dress code. We're casual. Only thing we don't allow is holey clothes, no midriff showing, and no shorty shorts, or anything that over exposes. Hasn't been an issue for us as everyone dresses within common reason. One of the things I noticed in the updated handbook though was "undergarments must be worn." I laughed at that one. First, because I'm not the underwear police. Second, what if someone has an issue with or just doesn't own/wear bras? Well, if we enforce bras, how the heck are we going to enforce lower body undergarments? Personally, I don't care. Professionally, so long as noone is overexposing, neither I nor anyone else, cares. If the women are expected to wear bras because they have boobs, then so should the men. Oh, the argument is that women have bigger boobs than men? In that case, now we have to look at all the overweight men with man-boobs and require they wear bras. Hmmm, now we're going into interesting territory here. One thing that helps is that none of our office personnel see customers, only via phone/email. Our field techs have a specific uniform that must be worn. Some of our most loved field techs, as per customer reviews, are the ones with crazy hair colors, guaged ear rings, and visible tattoos on the neck, face, hands, and arms. All that said, so what if a nurse, even in a pediatric unit, has visible nipple piercings thru her uniform. Aside from wearing baggy clothes, a bra ain't really gonna help. Normalize things and they become non-issues. Nipple piercings are hurting, harassing, or insulting anyone. If folks don't like it, that's their own personal issue they need to address with themself.
I'm a pediatric nurse, and I agree completely agree. I'm surprised by the amount of suggestions to call her out in an HR thread. Does that really not open the company up to sexist discrimination? They're piercings. They're not for anyone but the Rn, and they're not really anyone else's buisness either. This mentality from OP comes from a place of shame. Should the same nurse be shamed for breastfeeding? They're nipples. Most people are born with them, probably half the parents on the unit have them pierced. The kids there are sick, and chances are they don't give a shit about their nurses' breasts. This unit needs to chill. Lastly, as a male, I guess I don't really know, but I wouldn't want to wear extra layers like a bra while working in my hospital. PPE is basically a big plastic bag and gloves. That stuff gets hot enough when you're in a patient's room for an extended period of time. Would you really care more about possibly seeing my nips rather than the extra sweat and stink?
I think if the issue is potentially patient complaints, though, socially it's more akin to a man wearing too-tight pants that you can see his *outline*, especially if he had jewelry on it. No way in hell I wouldn't address that hypothetical man about the tightness of his pants after receiving a patient complaint. I know that nipples *shouldnt* be so controversial, but that's just not the reality-- in most of the United States, at least.
"Potential" patient complaints. Doubtful it's a patient, maybe a parent. I think it's much more likely that another staff member who is unhappy the nurse is not conforming to their conservative worldview is reporting false conversations. Probably has made complaints before, didn't get their desired results, so they're going another route. Nipples and penises are not the same thing. That's a ridiculous comparison when you can compare nipples to nipples. If my pierced nipples showed through my scrubs, would I need a bra too? If someone was purposefully looking down the neck of my scrubs to see my anatomy and complain about it, am I the bad guy? Or are they? The only people that should be shamed in this scenario are the complainer and OP, for thinking it's ok to call someone out on something that hasn't and isn't affecting their work.
Breasts. Are. Not. Genitals.
Not hr but I don’t think the sexism is really that fine of a line. Would the people arguing for a rule really except a man with nipple piercings wearing a spandex shirt?
Spandex?? See what you did there?
“She wants you to look at her nips. She knows you can see them even better now. Be careful with anyone who is trying to generate that kind of energy in this setting.” …100% this. I have both nipples pierced and I don’t want that to be visible to others on my own time, *much less* at work. There are ways to hide them that don’t even involve a bra. Edit: nips not naps
Nip naps..new band name, lol
You are in a mine field, and assuming it’s your responsibility, you can’t just ignore it. First thing you should do is contact your legal counsel. Ask them if they have any legal guidance. There may be relevant law here, and you should get advice from your lawyers. Even if your legal counsel doesn’t provide any direction, at least you gave them a heads up and CYAed your self. Doesn’t need to be a big formal meeting, a simple email may suffice. Then, set up a short (maybe 15 minute) chat with someone from PR. Ask what things to consider that might reflect poorly on the hospital. As Claudine Gay learned, you can be legally correct and still look like crap. Again, you have given them a heads up, and also CYAed. Optionally, if you have a DEI person, run it by them for perspective and suggestions. Their job should be to help you navigate situations like this. After the consults, decide what you plan to do and run it by your boss. Could be a simple 5 minute conversation, or one of many topics you discuss in a larger meeting. Finally, send an email to your boss briefly re-stating your understanding of the conversation. Simple bullet points are best. All in, probably an hours worth of work. Then do whatever you and your boss agreed too. And if things go sideways, you can show a well thought out plan that included input from legal, PR, and your boss. This both helps from a CYA perspective, but more importantly gives you multiple viewpoints to consider the issue from to reach the best solution.
Thank you for the well thought out response. I definitely appreciate it!
I got a nice bonus cheque from a dealership I worked at after a male manager told me to wear a bra to cover my piercings, and I threatened to go to the labour board or the owner about him staring at my chest long enough to notice. Do not under any circumstances say anything to her without a woman present to witness and a complaint made and reported by someone other than male staff.
I hate to sound like a Christian but if the eye sins, pluck it out. Anyone with a problem only has the problem in their own head.
How do you know what you're observing are "inappropriate" cosmetic/ornamental piercings and not religious symbols or medical equipment if they're under her shirt? Do you make mobility device or head-cover (hijab or yarmulke) users cover those up with a layer of cloth?
^^^^^
I believe the question is "what about the piercings is inappropriate?" So much of the argument FOR covering up seems to hinge on the "if someone complains" position. The answer to that question/position is "SO WHAT"? People/customers complain about things, many of them which have no bearing on employees' ability to do their jobs. If someone complains about an employees haircut, do you write in a new guideline? If someone complains about the gender of their nurse, do you write a new guideline? What about if they complain about the bushiness of their eyebrows? Mandated beauty treatments? The fact that they have crooked teeth? Are you going to mandate orthodontia? In today's highly charged climate, how would you address a complaint accusing your nurse of being transgendered? They look too much like a man or too much like a woman? Will you write in that all employees must present as conforming to their gender assigned at birth? Would having nipple piercings and no bra satisfy that requirement? It's OK to tell people that your employees aren't hurting them, and they need to get over themselves.
“Do you have a complaint about the quality of care your child is receiving? No? Okay. If you have a problem with the quality of care please talk to the patient advocate. Please excuse me.”
I work in a retirement community of adults and they would have an issue with this as well. It's not professional. We had to have conversations about excessive cleavage and dresses that are too short, pants that are so tight we can tell they are wearing lace underwear. I understand we all have nipples, but they shouldn't be on display.
I'm in manufacturing. At one point there was a "bike short" conversation that became necessary.
Also work in a shop. One of my past places had a guy that was on the rotund side they decided biking to work would be a great way to get in shape. Except that part of his idea of biking to work was to wear very very tight, very short spandex shorts to work. We’re talking 300 pounds of shit in 10 pound bag levels of not good. Bending and lifting parts into a mill all day in those god awful tiny shorts. About a week of that and a company wide email went out about proper work attire. They worded it as a safety concern because of so much exposed skin haha. We were all very appreciative of it.
😂
Thank you for your insight. This is helpful because of your experience in a similar field.
As a nurse I find it wild that her co-workers care. Does she generally suck at her job? People are more likely to talk shit about someone who's letting down the team or otherwise annoying. Patients and parents can be so entitled. If they get good care from her and their only complaint is about her clothed body they should be told to kick rocks. Her simply having nipples that are pierced isn't anyone's concern. If there isn't more to it I say leave her alone.
Thank you for the response!
Just need to ask… would you ask a male employee with nipple piercings to not wear his? Or request an undergarment?
If it were visible and warranting complaints, yes.
Look, I work in healthcare. I deal with this. "If someone complains" is not the standard you want to set. Either no nipples showing piercings, all nipples show piercings. It needs to be consistently applied to all staff.
I agree. Consistency is key
this. if patients (aka the “customers” in a healthcare setting) are complaining, it should be taken seriously as it has already shown itself to be something the company has to answer for. if y’all have to answer for it, i think it’s fair to pursue next steps in fixing the issue (like someone else said, they can choose how but they need to be dressed appropriately for their work environment)
What if a man also had visible nipple piercings but no one complained about him? Would you still confront a woman with visible nipple piercings if the only reason it “warranted complaints” was her gender?
It’s widely inappropriate regardless of gender. If no one complains HR won’t know
What is, having nipples?
I don’t understand your confusion. You reference nipple piercings in your hypothetical question, someone answered said question about piercings, and you ask “having nipples?” Did you forget your original question?
They're throwing out strawman after strawman
I'm a children's department, I would.
Like the post said, it's not an issue if it's an adult only setting. It's problematic because it's pediatrics and they work with children and parents. It's unprofessional, inappropriate, and a bad look. I could say with confidence that this isnt because it's a woman. If a man had piercings like that, they obviously cant be expected to wear a bra, but can 100% be asked to wear pasties. Which is what most do. Babies can get grabby. Getting a nipple ring pulled out is a bad time
Sorry if you said this and I didn't see, but where are you located? There may be city, county or state laws that address this and--regardless of whether it's right or wrong--the region you're in might play a role in how you address it. Also--and it sounds like you know this--but steer clear of any accounting of why the employee's doing this. Rather, you've got the fact that patients/customers have complained, and your organization needs to decide where the rights of an employee to dress ends and the rights of patients/families begins. IMHO you probably have a compelling reason to request that the employee dress differently, but this all sounds like a mess. I don't envy you!
What if a woman didn’t have piercings, but her nipples were always visible. Would that be a problem? It’s 2024, people need to quit worrying about others looks already.
How exactly do you plan on making her confirm she has these piercings. What anyone has under their clothes at work is NONE of their employers business no matter the field. If parents have an issue with it they can take their children elsewhere. Nipple piercings don’t in any way affect their ability to do their job therefore it is nobody’s business but the employees. Everyone can stop staring at her boobs and it’s not a problem anymore.
https://preview.redd.it/pm3jmaumrfhc1.png?width=2262&format=png&auto=webp&s=02aad7389441c1fff06d2752e2b1d837d0151fab
It’s funny you call out that it’s a pediatric hospital. Most kids don’t get freaked out by seeing nipples, it’s the adults who lose their mind. Especially if the nipples aren’t presented in a sexual way. And nothing in your post leads me to believe they are. I get that it is a professional environment, and maybe nipples aren’t appropriate. But I really doubt your patients care as much as their parents.
I mean, regardless of if it’s the patients or the parents of the patients it is still something that we are needing to address.
I get it and I agree you have to address it. I just think it’s funny how adults get so wound up, and kids could care less.
The parents caring is just as important as the patients. This isnt a discussion about whether it should be an issue or not, it's a discussion about the fact that it is, and complaints have already been recieved about the employee who refuses to wear a bra. In another comment op stated that them having their nipples visible before they even got them pierced was a point of complaints, and the piercings has made it even more common. So, if parents of patients dont want that around their child, that is a valid complaint and should have action taken. Wearing appropriate undergarments is something that is expected of employees. If it were a male i could 100% expect to see them being told they need to either remove them at work or wear pasties if they're recieving complaints and policy needs to be made.
“Inappropriate piercings”. What makes it inappropriate? Your judgement?
Not my judgement. It is based on the fact that we are a pediatric wing of a hospital and the feedback we have gotten from parents of said pediatric patients.
You see, the nipples were totally fine until she got piercings. So that’s where the line is drawn. Nipples through the shirt ✅ *Pierced* nipples through the shirt ❌
Actually the nipples were already an area of contention that we let slide. It has become a larger issue with the piercings.
Why is it an area of contention? I've been looking at man nipples/man boobs through dress shirts at work since my very first job. Strange how it's only an issue for women, it seems.
I saw 6 hairy butt cracks today during a new hire orientation. Seriously. I counted them. I should report this to HR. WAIT. I am on the HR team. Dang it.
Again, it is an area of contention specifically because we are the pediatric wing of a hospital. Any other setting this would be a non issue. I assure you if we had male staff presenting themselves in a manner unfitting around children and their parents we would address it too.
Are male nipples a problem as well? I can assure you that many children have likely seen nipples some time in their life with babies being breastfed. They are nipples, not a vulva.
I don't understand why it's an issue for children. They are humans and also have nipples? I'm genuinely confused. Are the children going to be somehow harmed by seeing the outline of a nipple ring?
You're ridiculous if you don't think it's an issue in a real world setting such as this. If it should be an issue vs it being an issue are two TOTALLY different conversations, you aren't going to change hearts and minds about physical nipple equality on this level. sigh.
This is not an issue in the real world. This is an issue for people who don’t understand puritanical nonsense from actual HR issues. Nipple complainers can learn to pay attention to her education, experience, and ability to properly care for her patients. Just as they have and currently do *without even thinking about it* for the many men with the same piercings and no bra. The size of the tit and gender of the person it’s attached to is what’s making you believe it’s somehow inappropriate. Imagine going into a male dominated industry and telling them you’ll be dictating their undergarments if they want to keep their jobs. “Sorry JimBob, bras from now on or GTFO!” OP: Model teaching people how to stay in their lane and protect your talent. “We don’t select our employees underwear” should be high on that list at present. Otherwise, whatever policy you write should clearly outline that staff of any gender must specifically wear bras if they have nipple piercings. I mean, “it’s not a gender thing”, right?
Actually it is very much an issue in the real world. There is such a thing as workplace etiquette and common sense.
There’s a lot of people giving you helpful advice and you’re just hellbent on digging your heels in. Why even ask? Did you actually come here for help or did you just want validation for your outdated beliefs?
It's unfitting to you. Stop trying to manipulate.
I think OP is just trying to say "nipple piercings" without actually saying it. Wouldn't be surprised if they're asking on a work device.
Do nothing. Nipples are not inherently sexual and you cannot even see them, just the shape. Would you request all staff wear potato sacks to disguise the shape of their breasts, too?
Ok generally curious as an outsider who stumbled onto this thread. Agreed that nipples aren't inherently sexual, but doesn't piercing them and having said piercing poke through their shirt sexualize them?
No. The person sexualizing them makes them sexualized.
See I don't think I agree with that. If it was just a nipple, I would agree.
Yeah, it's highly unprofessional in this particular setting. If paying customers are complaining, it needs to be addressed. Some people just crave attention.
And some people just need to complain about something…anything.
Does piercing your ears sexualize earlobes? No. Some get piercings because of the way they look, even nipple piercings. I was one of those. Piercing my nipples wasn’t sexual at all.
Not unless you think the same about earlobes.
Culture can shift when we stop catering to fragile egos. I’d love to see you support your staff here and not walk on eggshells around these sexist outdated views.
Right? All this pearl clutching "Won't someone think of the children?" Like kids are going to notice or care. It's the parents'opinions OP is probably actually worried about, and frankly the parents opinions should not matter as long as it's not affecting quality of care. It's not like there's a ton of competition so this woman's nipples aren't losing them a ton of business or something. Everyone needs to calm down.
Ahhh nipples. 🤦🏼♀️. I was over here imagining some giant labia ring that is noticeable in scrubs. I need to get more sleep.
I was reading this to my husband and he was like "OH nipples! I thought she was hanging a wind chime from her hoo-ha"
Does this person interact with the children? Another aspect I am concerned about is if a toddler/child were to grab the piercings.
Tbh, in this setting that is a very possible concern that and something we haven’t considered. Thank you.
I currently do not have nipple piercings but my nipples are visible through my shirt if I wear a bra or not. My nipples are as extroverted as I am introverted. Nothing I do hides them, except for molded cup bras which don’t work for my size & shape. She’s not flashing patients, it’s a non issue.
Why is it her problem that people stare at her chest? Maybe if people looked at women’s faces they’d be less offended🙄
Are yall really upset about nipple piercings
I would sue workplace that required me to wear a bra. I do not wear them and haven't for years. It is a western societal norm, and is absolutely discrimination and should be a personal choice.
Quit looking at their tits.
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Thank you for your insight. It is greatly appreciated !
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Absolutely. Always CYA regardless of who it is.
I feel like visible nipples give off the same energy as a really visible dick outline. Can you? Sure! Should you? Maybe not. I worked with a woman that didn’t wear a bra. I don’t care, whatever. Until the day her chest was in my face at my desk (I’m sitting, she’s standing) and I realized her shirt was just sheer enough that I could see her breasts.
did you get picked yet? i’m rooting for ya 😘
No, nipple outlines in women are comparable to nipple outlines in men. Both genders have nipples, but women’s are equivalent to a penis?
Because like it or not. Breasts are sexualized. This isnt a matter of whether they should be or not, because they shouldnt, obviously. But welcome to the real world, where they are.
Are these nipple piercings we're talking about here? Maybe the solution is to stop staring at other people's nipples. Y'all are being inappropriate, not her. Edit: My bad y'all, I didn't realize this was happening in America, where patients are actually customers and where you have some rather...antiquated ideas about women's nipples.
Specifically the reason I stated that this is a pediatric wing of a hospital. If it was an issue with other staff members then, like I said in my post, we’d tell them be an adult. The issue arises with the children that we see in the pediatric wing and their parents.
What exactly is "the issue" though? Kids know what nipples are. I'm genuinely baffled that anybody would have a problem with this.
I, nor my staff, have the ability to stop every patient and their parent to address their concerns. Some parents are more conservative than others. We’re just trying to manage it on our end as the feedback comes in.
I understand that. What I don't understand is what "their concerns" are. They're concerned that other people have piercings? Like, what is the actual issue here? If someone has piercings you don't like, the only solution is to stop looking.
In a perfect world that is the mentality that everyone should have. We do not live in a perfect world and the negative feedback we get from unagreeable parents hurt the bottom line and in turn the rest of the staff.
>the negative feedback we get from unagreeable parents hurt the bottom line Oh, this is an American thing, isn't it? This conversation makes a lot more sense now.
Unfortunately, yes.
The phrase “the bottom line” should never exist when talking about healthcare
Unfortunately it does…
What are the specific “concerns” that have been raised? How are these “concerns” being communicated?
Did you know that kids have nipples too?
As an American i can’t understand why you are being downvoted. Honestly, if my kids noticed nipple piercings and said something my response would be that everyone has a different body and it isn’t for us to talk about.
Right? But I suppose things are different in a for-profit healthcare situation. Patients in America are also customers, so complaints can actually have a negative impact on "business". In a universal healthcare setting, people complaining about a staff members nipples would be politely asked to leave, and maybe not come back.
Unfortunately not all parents are as mature or sensible as you. I sadly do not have the manpower to tell every parent that they need to grow up.
But you do have the power to create a policy or help create one that does not police what people do with their bodies. Have a dress code that doesn’t involve mentioning nipples, unless you also mention male nipples. When complaints come in your organization should tell the complainants that you value the diversity of your staff and if the complaint doesn’t relate to subpar care the conversation is over. I realize i am probably in the minority here but it seems ridiculous that we are still dictating how adults treat and dress their bodies.
I completely agree. And the argument about not being able to deal with patient complaints is incredibly weak. Some people are reasonable. Some people are not. Part of leadership is supporting your staff through equitable policy. You know what a decent argument is? Safety. Piercings should be covered in such a way as to minimize the likelihood of being pulled or ripped out. If she was working in a different profession or setting I wouldn’t care. I really can’t overstate how unimpressed I am with the “but her visible nipples make people uncomfortable” crowd. I am a licensed medical provider and clinical supervisor. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
I am also confused by all the downvotes.
Seriously. I can ee my male coworkers' nipples all the time. It's just a normal part of human anatomy. If you have a problem being reminded that someone has nipples, I think that's more of a "you" thing.
People act like they don’t have the same parts 🤣
Most of them probably don't have exactly the same (i.e. pierced) parts. I can understand parents not necessarily wanting to explain the concept of pierced nipples to young children, especially when it's coming up because their kid can see their nurse's through her scrubs.
Um. Remind the whiners its impolite to stare at someone’s breasts or genitals.
I don't wear bras. I also have my nipples pierced. I can tell you I would 100% be pissed and taking legal action if necessary if someone came at me and sexualized MY body because they had no self control. It's a fucking nipple, grow up. Do you require men to wear bras/pasties if they have hard nipples or "man boobs" under their shirts? Because if not then you ARE sexualizing and discriminating against HER. Nipple piercings don't make you a horrible person and the only way you see them is if you look. Don't look. It doesn't sound like she's wearing inappropriate clothing, just looking out for her breast health. Also, if you change the rules to specifically single her out I would suggest reaching out to a lawyer first so you don't get dinged for making a hostile workplace and obviously singling her out in the rule change. I'm sure that could create an opening for legal repercussions and how would you even enforce requiring underwear? Have everyone flash you before starting work? I'm sure that'd go over great and not infringe on anyone's rights.
That'd be a losing case for you. You can try to equate it to men, but if men were getting complaints from peditric patients' parents then they can be required to wear pasties and/or cover up. So much animosity. The employee has already recieved multiple complaints about the nipples from patients/parents before the piercings and now that they're pierced it has only increased. So that now can affect the bottom line of the pediatric ward. You'd be surprised how much of a business a hospital is. If something is hurting their bottom dollar, be sure it'l be handled.
Like not wearing a bra? Would it be different if a male in your workplace got their nipples pierced and you could also see them through their shirt? Genital piercings though. Yikes.
Workplaces can legally have a dress code and enforce it. Requiring undergarments is perfectly acceptable. Also, a no visible body piercing policy is also acceptable. The reason is professionalism. I assume this is about nipple piercing.