Florida county closes a hole with rules limiting piercings

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Adding that seventh earring before going to work for the county could get you into piercing trouble.
Administrators have decided that three earrings per earlobe is the maximum amount of "facial jewelry" employees will be allowed to wear in Orange County offices, and that all other facial piercing will be forbidden.
Loops through eyebrows, nose rings and studs through tongues will have no future place for county employees.
"They can't even speak well when they have their tongues pierced," said Commissioner Mary I. Johnson, 70.
Even the earring policy comes with a caveat: none of the three earrings is to be worn on the top half of the ear, according to the county's "Dress Code and Appearance Policy."
"It's our belief that facial jewelry does not present the professional appearance we want our employees to have when dealing with the public," said Deputy County Administrator Sharon Donoghue, who helped develop the new rules.
The lone holdout among commissioners was Homer Hartage, who was overruled.
"Occasionally there will be employees who are good workers, but they see the world a little bit differently than the rest of us," he said.