Bank Policies

[daughtersrus]

I haven't been inside a bank in a long time but yesterday I had to go to two different ones. Both of them had signs on the entrance doors that said "Please remove hats, sunglasses, hoods and scarves before entering the bank." I understand why they have that sign but I couldn't help but notice that at each bank there was a woman working there that was wearing a scarf covering her head. I don't know what ,if anything, they would do if a customer came in doing the same.

 

[cm8]

I haven't been inside a bank in a long time but yesterday I had to go to two different ones. Both of them had signs on the entrance doors that said "Please remove hats, sunglasses, hoods and scarves before entering the bank." I understand why they have that sign but I couldn't help but notice that at each bank there was a woman working there that was wearing a scarf covering her head. I don't know what ,if anything, they would do if a customer came in doing the same.

I have a couple of banks that I bank with that have the same stickies. I would guess they would not make a big deal about it especially if it were for religious reasons. On the other hand though, I would think that the person entering in any of the banks in any of the items requested not to wear, would have a camera trained on them before they even approached the counter, and all their transactions monitored to make sure nothing crazy was happening or about to pop off. KWIM? (now that song just popped into my head, I always feel like somebody watching me)

 

[eliza61]

I haven't been inside a bank in a long time but yesterday I had to go to two different ones. Both of them had signs on the entrance doors that said "Please remove hats, sunglasses, hoods and scarves before entering the bank." I understand why they have that sign but I couldn't help but notice that at each bank there was a woman working there that was wearing a scarf covering her head. I don't know what ,if anything, they would do if a customer came in doing the same.

I think most banks practice a bit of restraint. Muslim women who were Hajibs (modern head wraps that cover the head and neck but leave their faces completely uncovered) are a common occurance now so most banks would not bat an eye.

 

[FireDancer]

It is a security policy. Hats and dark glasses conceal your face and make identification harder in case of a crime. Many banks (in the United States of America) no longer allow cell phones in their lobbies, we don't.

Many times it is a policy put in place by the insurance companies.

Of course there are common sense (for people in the United States of America) exceptions, as with any good policy. People who must wear head cover due to a religious requirement or a blind person being allowed to leave on his glasses for example because in the United States of America we are civilized and recognize such rights.

Edited to insert what any intelligent adult would have just assumed. We are talking about banks in the country, or at the very least on the continent, in which the OP lives since it wasn't stated otherwise.

 

[bicker]

Well, except that that's not "common" sense. There are many many people who feel that that is not a sufficient justification for exemption from the requirement. In the United States, our Constitution ensures that even if a majority of people feel that way, Muslim women are still protected, but as many of you probably know, that's not the case everywhere (for example, France) and therefore this isn't a matter of "common" sense, but rather simply a (con)sens(us) of the American people (and perhaps others).

As an aside... A lot of what many folks think of as "common" sense is really anything-but, and indeed often the labeling of something as "common" sense is simply a gesture that either deliberately or inadvertently disrespects the rights of others to disagree. I think we all need to stop thinking in such terms. We need to think of things in the context of, "This is how I think things should be," rather than projecting that into something more than that.

 

[coolbeans]

i wish our bank would put up those signs!! i hate it when a customer comes in on the phone because i speak just like it wasn't attached to their head... sometimes they acknowledge me, sometimes they don't... but, i'll be darned, as sooon as they disconnect their call i better be ready to help them or they get ticked off.. it's nuts!

 

[powellrj]

OH NO, another common sense issue!!!!!

Run very fast.....

 

[DisneySaver28]

I haven't been inside a bank in a long time but yesterday I had to go to two different ones. Both of them had signs on the entrance doors that said "Please remove hats, sunglasses, hoods and scarves before entering the bank." I understand why they have that sign but I couldn't help but notice that at each bank there was a woman working there that was wearing a scarf covering her head. I don't know what ,if anything, they would do if a customer came in doing the same.

I consider the religious scarf to be along the same lines as leader dogs. There might be a "no pets" rule somewhere, but service animals would be allowed.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Our bank in New Hampshire had those signs. I have transitions lenses on my glasses and always felt conspicuous going in on a sunny day as it takes them a few minutes to fully go back to being clear. No one ever said anything and my glasses are obviously prescription lenses (and pretty much everyone there knew me and would know i wear the glasses all the time).

Anyway, lots of people have transitions lenses, but that is even further into the grey area than a hajib would be. I understand the banks' reasoning, but it dose get iffy at times. You just have to hope that people do exercise some sense (common or otherwise) in enforcement.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, okay, try this. I've worn glasses for about 45 years. Right now, I'm arm's length from the screen and without glasses can't make out anything on the monitor. I went into the credit union one day with ONLY sunglasses, so I had to take them off... talk about humorous

Anyway - I can see bicker's point about it not being common sense. Maybe 'reasonable' would be a better term. Most likely the ban on scarves is having one wrapped around most of one's face in the winter, or the movie image of bandannas covering the lower half of one's face.

 

[bicker]

So you're saying that most people in France aren't reasonable?

 

[Becky2005]

Our bank in New Hampshire had those signs. I have transitions lenses on my glasses and always felt conspicuous going in on a sunny day as it takes them a few minutes to fully go back to being clear. No one ever said anything and my glasses are obviously prescription lenses (and pretty much everyone there knew me and would know i wear the glasses all the time).

Anyway, lots of people have transitions lenses, but that is even further into the grey area than a hajib would be. I understand the banks' reasoning, but it dose get iffy at times. You just have to hope that people do exercise some sense (common or otherwise) in enforcement.

I was just thinking about the transition lenses. My daugther had them and was at a camp getting pictures taken when the photographer kept telling everyone to "take off their sunglasses" -- she didn't take hers off. I'm pretty sure the guy was talking to her but to her they aren't sunglasses so she left them on.

I would walk into the walls if I had to take my glasses off just because they had transitioned. I've been known to walk into walls with them ON.

 

[FireDancer]

Well, except that that's not "common" sense. There are many many people who feel that that is not a sufficient justification for exemption from the requirement. In the United States, our Constitution ensures that even if a majority of people feel that way, Muslim women are still protected, but as many of you probably know, that's not the case everywhere (for example, France) and therefore this isn't a matter of "common" sense, but rather simply a (con)sens(us) of the American people (and perhaps others).

As an aside... A lot of what many folks think of as "common" sense is really anything-but, and indeed often the labeling of something as "common" sense is simply a gesture that either deliberately or inadvertently disrespects the rights of others to disagree. I think we all need to stop thinking in such terms. We need to think of things in the context of, "This is how I think things should be," rather than projecting that into something more than that.

Who cares what they do in France? I am talking about a US bank on US soil under the jurisdiction of the US Constitution (for religion) and ADA (for disabilities). The only thing that matters in this case is the US requirement. We are not beholden to French law or customs at our institutions, we have no branches there. It makes no sense to even bring up laws or customs in places that have no jurisdiction over the matter. Unless I missed it the OP doesn't say "I walked into this bank in France the other day..."

Not making a blind person remove sunglasses or someone with a religious requirement from removing a head covering is both common sense and reasonable (the two aren't mutually exclusive) in the USA with American values on religion and disabilities.

 

[bicker]

Who cares what they do in France?

Surely the people who live in France, but also an intelligent and worldly people are generally not so narrow as to ignore the realities of how things are outside of their own home.

I am talking about a US bank on US soil under the jurisdiction of the US Constitution (for religion) and ADA (for disabilities).

The message of yours that I replied to referred to "common" sense, not the sense of Americans. That was what I corrected. I'm sorry that you wanted an unrebutted soap-box to try to project American principles as the standard by which "common" sense is determined. You aren't entitled to that.

The only thing that matters in this case is the US requirement.

However, that is not the only thing relevant to the discussion and what you wrote.

You wrote more broadly than you intended. You're forgiven.

 

[FireDancer]

Surely the people who live in France, but also an intelligent and worldly people are generally not so narrow as to ignore the realities of how things are outside of their own home.

The message of yours that I replied to referred to "common" sense, not the sense of Americans. That was what I corrected. I'm sorry that you wanted an unrebutted soap-box to try to project American principles as the standard by which "common" sense is determined. You aren't entitled to that.

However, that is not the only thing relevant to the discussion and what you wrote.

You wrote more broadly than you intended. You're forgiven.

Every single thing I wrote on this thread was under the assumption we were talking about US banks and policy. I didn't write common sense in the United States only because that was understood and didn't have to be stated.

I'll go back and edit the post for those who have trouble figuring such things out.