Internet Backed Plumber Who Quit Job Rather Than Cut His Long Hair

Thousands of commenters stood firmly on the side of one plumber who quit his job after his employer issued an ultimatum about his long hair.

In a viral Reddit post published on r/antiwork, Redditor u/naturalviber said his boss told him to cut his hair or find another job, and explained how he was hired by another plumbing company the same day. Titled, "Fired and hired today for having long hair," the viral post has received 56.3K votes and 2.4K comments in just eight hours.

Writing that he had been working at a new company for the last two weeks, the Redditor said everything had been going well, and added that the company's owner was impressed by his performance.

"I have excelled at this company and was told from the owner himself that I know more than 90 percent of his crew and would be getting a 6+ dollar raise soon," he wrote.

Due to recent cold weather, u/naturalviber said that he has been wearing a winter hat for warmth, and to conceal his long hair. But after removing the hat and revealing his hair, the Redditor received strict instructions to cut it as soon as possible.

"This morning was the first time [the owner] has seen me with long hair. He kind of flipped his sh*t and told me to cut it by tomorrow," he wrote. "Of course I told him that I will not be cutting my hair for this position."

"He got snappy with me and told me to cut my hair by tomorrow or there is my car...while pointing at my car," he added. "[I] told him thanks for wasting my time, grabbed my tools and left. Drove right down the road and was hired by another plumbing company."

Amid the recent, mass-quitting phenomenon dubbed the Great Resignation, in which more Americans have quit their jobs than any other point in history, millions of people have separated from their employers every month.

In November, 4.53 million people quit their jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In December, 4.3 million people followed suit.

Throughout the pandemic, as well as the Great Resignation, analysis conducted by Construction Coverage showed that Google searches for local plumbers reached five-year highs. However, the Home Builder Institute's Spring 2021 Construction Labor Market Report revealed a 55 percent shortage of plumbers available for hire.

Despite a $56,000 average annual salary and huge demand for plumbing services from homeowners across the country, fewer and fewer young people are entering into the industry, leaving jobs vacant as plumbers retire in "droves," according to Labor For Hire.

For those who do choose plumbing, workplace appearances can be the difference between losing a client and retaining them. Cliff Lao, the owner of a plumbing company in Arizona said he battles the stereotype of sloppy-looking plumbers by outfitting his employees in crisp uniforms, according to Plumber Magazine.

"I think that if you dress well, it shows customers that you'll take care of their homes as well," Lao told Plumber.

Although hair is not considered part of a uniform, long hair has long been considered "unprofessional" for men, and in certain fields, it can be a safety hazard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "requires employers to ensure that workers cover and protect long hair to prevent it from getting caught in machine parts such as belts and chains."

In the viral Reddit post, though, u/naturalviber said he was issued an ultimatum because his hair violated company policy, not because his hair was hazardous.

Responding to the viral post, commenters defended the original poster and questioned why a plumbing company was willing to fire a good plumber over long hair.

"The only hair a plumber should be concerned with is any hair that clogs a drain," Redditor u/mbsmilford wrote in the post's top comment, which has received more than 7,000 votes.

Redditor u/JustNKayce, whose comment has received 6,300 votes, said that when they need plumbing services, they are much more concerned with a plumber's abilities than their appearance.

"I can't believe this guy," they wrote. "He fired a good plumber over his hair?! I'm glad you got a new job right away. I am old and I care a whole lot more about my plumber knowing what the heck they are doing than how long their hair is."

In a sarcastic comment, which has received more than 7,200 votes, Redditor u/bgthigfist wondered why the original poster's hair was an issue in the first place.

"It's not the 1960s any longer," they wrote. "Who cares?"