Tattoos, body art and piercing. (American Park and Recreation Society).

What's the number one concern regarding tattoos, body art and piercing? The safety for both the participant and employees should be the utmost concern, according to Mike Moran, superintendent of recreation in Iowa City. Risk managers everywhere will tell you that employers can reasonably restrict tattoos and body piercing, if safety is at the heart of the conflict. For some, another issue may be local obscenity laws, yet keep in mind the freedom of choice and expression. Other concerns include dress code enforcement as established by your department or governing agency, as well as policies in existence during the hiring process. Be sure to establish policies ahead of time to avoid possible conflicts.

"One thing that you must also keep in mind is the tolerance of the community, community morals and acceptance of such practices," adds Moran. For additional input, check with other agencies, your state high school athletic associations, the NCAA and all the various AAU associations that exist in your states and communities. Of course, not everyone's rules are enforceable or usable in your community. As always, the last word is usually accomplished by obtaining legal approval for your department's policies.

Do tattoos or body piercing affect the public's perception of your staff? According to a survey done by Vault--the insider career network--close to 50 percent of the population say that a visible tattoo or body piercing would have no effect on their opinion of the employee, 42 percent said their opinion would be lowered if they saw a tattoo or body piercing, and 8 percent said their opinion would be raised. If the tattoo or body piercing is hidden, most people wouldn't care, while 8 percent said they would respect the person more, and 15 percent said their opinion of the person would be lowered.

Other fun facts: Most employees don't think their tattoo or body piercing affects their career, while 18 percent think it hinders it. More than half of those with tattoos or body piercing cover them up when they go to work.

"I think these results show an acceptance of something we never thought we would have to deal with," adds Moran. "It becomes second nature to us now because of people being more accepting or less argumentative. This leaves a great gap in the never-ending debate of `We never did that when we were kids' to `Oh my, now I have to supervise them!' Times are changing, and we must change with them."