How To Oversee Practice Staff's Appearance — Legally

Atlanta partner Andria Ryan was quoted in American Medical News on May 7 in the article "How To Oversee Practice Staff's Appearance — Legally." The article reported on how medical practices can regulate the physical look of their employees without violating anti discrimination laws. Policies stating what is acceptable about hygiene, visible body modifications, hair and clothing will rarely get a practice into trouble if there is some flexibility. It's important to have a policy, because a well-crafted one can make some issues easier to address. Most should include a note that clothes should be clean. This may sound obvious, but stating that proper hygiene is required can be a jumping-off point for uncomfortable conversations. Andria said, "It's a lot easier to have the [body odor] conversation if you have that policy." Odor may be caused by a lack of deodorant or too much perfume.