Jason Lordon started to worry after he ran out of long-sleeve shirts to wear to work. Part of Lordon's six-month-old tattoo covering his left arm from elbow to shoulder was visible from under his short-sleeve dress shirt.

"I forgot that a San Francisco partner was in town and would be able to see part of my tattoo," Lordon said from the law office of Curiale, Dellaverson, Hirschfeld & Kraemer in Reno. "I asked my boss if I should go home and change."

Because the 21-year-old college student wasn't seeing a client that day, his boss said he didn't believe it was inappropriate.

"Given the labor shortage, it's important to look toward diversity," said Devon Reese, an attorney at CDHK. "But sometimes looking beyond appearances can be hard."

Not all companies share his philosophy, and sometimes management is stuck in the middle by trying to adopt more flexible dress codes while protecting a professional image.

While a Gen-Xer in the office might not look twice at exposed ink or metal, a baby boomer might find it offensive to display body art at work.

"At least in northern Nevada, there is a lot of talk that the problem of generational differences is starting to rear its ugly head," Reese said. "Younger folks are into body art and have a good work ethic, but older employers can be turned off by it."

In a 2001 study done by Vault.com, a research and employment information services company that profiles U.S. companies, almost 60 percent of employers said they would be less likely to hire someone with visible tattoos or piercings. Almost half of those surveyed said they would have a lower opinion of someone they work with or meet who has visible body art.

The key word in the tattoo issue seems to be "visible." Forty-five percent of the same employers said they had a tattoo or piercing other than pierced ears. When body art is concealed, only 11 percent of employers said it would affect their decision to hire someone.

A 2003 online Harris Interactive poll showed that 36 percent of people 25- to 29-years-old have at least one tattoo, and more than a quarter of those 30 to 39 had a tattoo.

Randy Berger, a 25-year-old electrician in Reno, lost count of how many tattoos he has.

"I get them because I like them," he said as he was getting a "Reno" tattoo by Jesse Martynuik at Body Graphics Tattooing.

Martynuik, whose father, Guy, owns Body Graphics, is a third-generation tattoo artist.

"Tattoos are a lot more accepted now, especially on women," he said. "I get doctors, police officers, executives coming in to get large pieces."

But he conceded that negative attitudes about people with tattoos still exist. "In the summer, I will have cops ask me if I'm in a gang," he said. "Older women will pull their children away."

As a result, some employers won't hire someone with body art, even if it is hidden.

"It is an issue," said Pamela Tsuji, branch manager of Staffmark in Reno, a company that matches job seekers and potential employers.

"Clients used to tell us not to send people with tattoos. "But because of what we're learning in the community and in training, we try to keep more of an open mind."

Tsuji agreed the appropriateness of body art at work depends on the company and job position. "It doesn't really matter if they are not interacting with the public," she said. "Many companies enforce dress codes due to the fact that their employee is the first person a customer sees."

Stephen Hirschfeld, CEO of CDHK and the Employment Law Alliance, said employers can legally restrict body art unless individual states have additional legislation.

"Employers want their employees to look a certain way to create a certain ambiance," Hirschfeld said. "The reality is tattoos, piercings, body art can be restricted by dress codes or uniform requirements."

That isn't stopping lawsuits filed against companies with restrictions on body art. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces discrimination laws regarding age, disability, equal pay, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion and retaliation. Several employees have used these laws to sue employers.

An employee sued Costco Wholesale Corp. in federal court for religious discrimination, arguing her facial jewelry was required by her religion, the Church of Body Modification. A judge dismissed the suit, ruling that Costco attempted to make reasonable accommodations for her and that her religion did not require she wear piercings at all times. The decision was upheld by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Guy Martynuik, owner of Body Graphics Tattooing, is careful about who sees his ink. "I have been tattooing for 35 years and I have nothing below my wrist," he said. "I have to deal with the Health Department, the city, and they just immediately look at you."

Lordon said he isn't worried about his business prospects. "Whatever I do in the future, it will be in a formal environment," he said. "I won't make a big deal of it and can wear long sleeves."

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C10.