Location: Houston, TX Age: 27 Female
I started this new job October 8th and today i was stuck crying my eyes out on my lunchbreak. My manager (head of HR) called me into her office and said "So.. your hair. Its unprofessional." I said what do you mean? She stated when they interviewed me I came to the interview wearing a wig and makeup. And now today i am wearing my natural hair out in mini braids. I look very professional, they are neat and done right and i still have makeup on just no blush.
She proceeds to say that she does not know who she is getting and that I am not being consistent. She said either i wear makeup and wig or no makeup and my natural hair. I asked her outright "Are you telling me right now that my hair how it is right now, is unprofessional?" And she said yes. Mind you, i look professional and i have makeup on. I told her the only difference about my makeup today is that I am not wearing blush. She was like "ehhh maybe thats it.. yea the blush." I said, i hardly put on blush when i do wear it so its not the blush thats the issue, its my hair you have a problem with. She then states "see my hair, its curly today and it was straight yesterday and i never wear makeup. Thats consistent." I told her, i am a human some days i will wear a wig and makeup and somedays i will wear my natural hair. I dont look the same every single day and i shouldnt have to. Regardless of how i do my hair, i am looking professional.
This goes on for about 8 minutes and then i am dismissed from her office. I then go direct to the President & Owner of the company office and i ask her can i speak with her.
I told her i just got done speaking to my manager and my manager told me my hair was unprofessional. And the OWNER of the company said "YES, YOUR HAIR IS UNPROFESSIONAL. YOU LOOK LIKE YOURE 12 YEARS OLD" Yes.. she REALLY said that. She then proceeds to also mention how i had a wig on before and now i have my natural hair out and i look different. She also states how she would ask me to put the black wig on if i had a meeting with a client of theirs, stating she would not want me to have my hair in its natural state if i was meeting a client.
I have the kind of manager where everyone warns you about her, but the president isnt any better. Mind you, THIS IS A BLACK COMPANY. The president is a black woman who is bald, my manager is a black woman, 98% of the people working there are black.
I feel humiliated and embarrassed ressed, now when i get up to get dressed in the morning those thoughts will be in my head. Now i am worried because i know they prefer me to wear my wig instead of my natural hair and my feelings are incredibly hurt. I cant help that i look young, i cant help that my natural hair looks how it looks. I am just at a loss and i have been unemployed for over a year and just got this job and i feel stuck. I have nowhere to go. I have filed a complaint with the EEOC and scheduled a phone screen but that isnt until March of 2027, it was their soonest availability . What are my options?