Question the policy
Dress and appearance rules must have a fair purpose. They should never punish somebody for a disability or visible difference.
01 / The case study
Riam was judged by an image policy, not her ability.
Riam Dean was born without her left forearm and wears a prosthetic limb. While working at Abercrombie & Fitch, she was allowed to wear a white cardigan over it.
She later said that management removed her from the shop floor because the cardigan did not meet the company's “look policy”. She was told to work in the stockroom until the winter uniform arrived.
“I knew then that I was being treated differently and unfairly because of my disability.”— Riam Dean, describing her experience
This was not simply a disagreement about clothing. It was about whether a disabled employee should have to hide part of herself to be accepted at work.