Legal Doesn’t Mean Nondiscriminatory: Self-Expression and Appearance Policies in Social Work

ABSTRACT The authors explore the consequences of subjectivity in workplace appearance policies and proposes solutions through the lens of the National Association of Social Work’s (NASW) Code of Ethics. The commentary applies social work values and ethical standards to the enforcement of appearance policies and questions the impact on social workers and their clients as a result. An Appearance Policy Checklist is provided to establish a starting point for agency administrators, social work supervisors, and social workers to evaluate current appearance policies for potential discriminatory effects.