First, SeasonalSal is 100% correct on why this may not be permitted. Go to Snopes.com and search for the report on why Target stopped allowing the bell ringers at Christmas time out front or didn't support the walk-in vet looking for donations for the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall. Corporate Business 101 teaches us that the larger, more profitable, and more recognizable a corporation becomes, the more it must build, reinforce and reflect to EVERYONE a more neutral and centric business practice. This is to piss off the fewest potential Guest and not loose Sales through insulting or unpopular Branding. As Target employees, we know how critical the Target Brand is to the overall model of the company and how much is invested in it. Ever notice how much Signing (ISM, not just the ad signs) Target uses vs our biggest competitors? Notice how The Blue Shirts started building their new stores with "wider aisles, polished floors, and brighter more happy lighting"? Sound familiar? Those employees in the store level of the Target Pyramid are what America (and now Canada) perceives as Target. Sales Floor, cashiers, Food Services, etc are the bulk of what Guest see in a store, not so much ETLs and STLs. So yes, we all need to remain as neutral and uniform as possible because 1) when you make the choice to work for a company, you also agree to abide by their (legal) rules 2) Target creates these guidelines after utilizing huge amounts of money, energy, time, and experience to maximize it's efficiency as a retail business (welcome to Free Market Capitalism) 3) if an employee wants to express their individualism, do it within the safe boundaries Target allows (I remember a RED Magazine in the past year extolling Target TMs who utilized red, white and black to express their company patronage, not their personal, political, religious, sexual, racial, etc views as they are less likely to be challenged as offensive and can easily be defended by the company) 4) you can choose not to work at Target if they hurt a TMs feelings. If a TM displays something that is an outward expression of something that Target cannot, as a Corporation that incorporates diversity as part of its Brand, defend, than it exposes the Corporation to liability. You get money from Target for labor and Target protects you from individual liability while on the clock (see the new Compliance messages on Workbench under HR). Ultimately, minimizing personnal expressions while under Target's liability blanket at work is a kind of social contract. While in red, it isn't about you, its about the company and everyone in it.
If this sound militaristic, it's because some of my personal expression is coming out. I am an Army Veteran and have the beauty marks to prove my 31 months total as a Cav Scout. I don't wear my former occupation on my sleeve and few people at work even know about it. Personally, I would like to display small piece of the bigger part that makes me what I am today but I understand and respect the hand that feeds me. I bet some STLs, ETLs, DTL, and higher would like to have something to wear which symbolizes their achievement and hard work to obtain that position, but they can't. It isn't about them, it is about how best they can represent the company. Would you be offended if a Muslim co-worker wanted to wear a symbol of their home country which most likely would have Muhammad's favorite color (green) and the Bismillah on it? But this is America, right, and Target should let us wear symbols of patriotism. What if one of my co-workers in Georgia wanted to wear a small Stars and Bars lapel pin to memorialize his heritage on Confederate Memorial Day? But this is America so we should be able to wear American Flags to show how patriotic we are, right? I think a better expression of one's patriotism could be shown by being the first in line for Target's volunteer events and fundraising opportunities. Or becoming educated in Target's history and philanthropic values so when brainless idiots who can't think for themselves complain that Target is a french owned company, or supports anti-gay efforts (great example of how the line between actions taken under or outside the Target name can be misinterpreted), or that they hate Vets, we can correct the mis-informed.
As always, these decisions are clearly at the discretion of the STL. Most Leadership at ETL or higher won't make a call without making sure their higher ups will have their back too.
If you want the ability to have personal expression in your career, choose to work for a company that is aligned with your wishes. Chic-fil-a, Wendy's, Whole Foods, and Tyson Foods are some to start with.
Something to ponder - You may do whatever you desire while you are personally representing yourself because you are liable and therefor assume any consequences or rewards for your personal actions. When you signed on to Target, you represent the company and all the interest that is entrusted to you like property and reputation. When you take money from Target, you absolve most personable liabilities and therefor the control to regulate it. Of course there are some exceptions but think about all the risk you didn't have to take to get your paycheck that Target is able to assume for you.
