A clown at the bank counter, a mailman in a silly wig: such sights may not be entirely surprising in parts of Germany on Shrove Monday, especially in the cities where celebrating the end of Carnival season is serious business, like in Cologne, DĂĽsseldorf and Mainz, for example.
But for those who work through what the Germans call Rosenmontag and Karnevalsdienstag, to what extent can celebrations be brought to the office?
On these days of exuberate celebration you may be wondering if wearing a costume to work is allowed in Germany, or to what extent your employer is able to limit your self-expression. Here's what employees should know.
Can my boss ban costumes?
German employment law allows employers to prohibit staff from working in costume, just as employers can also prohibit other clothing that is considered inappropriate.
Employees who work directly with customers or clients may face tighter limits on their dress and appearance than those who do not.
Regarding non-customer facing workers, an employer has some room to determine a policy around what exactly is allowed and what is not.
Some bosses might allow a bit of festivity around the office during Carnival celebrations, but they do have the authority to outlaw anything that would undermine professionalism at the work place.
A full-body plush costume, to take an obvious example, is something that an employer could ban.
What can my boss not ban?
Employees in Germany maintain a certain right of personal expression. Therefore a boss cannot impose an outright ban on all signs of Carnival, but is limited to those which would get in the way of work.
Personal choices around hair, fingernails and clothing are all protected under your right of personality, a specialist lawyer for employment law told Der Spiegel.
So as long as your stylistic choices don't violate a workplace dress code, your boss probably cannot stop you from expressing yourself as you wish.
Therefore a striped shirt in Cologne's city colours, brightly painted nails or a festive hairstyle should be allowed in most cases, unless there are specific reasons why one of these elements should be prohibited in your specific line of work.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about celebrating carnival in Germany
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