The problem is that the second option also requires you to go to work in a tuxedo.

I get the point you are trying to make but this is just a strawman here... you are changing the parameters of the case and attacking your own invention.

Only a small niche of companies allow you to not work in a tuxedo.

I disagree, it is not a small niche. It certainly is not the majority but it is not that small for the scenario in this, most likely fake, email. Anecdotally I can add I have been working (also a programmer) on Linux for the past 18 years and none of the companies I worked for supported it, they just did not care if I used it as my base OS, everything they cared about is under their control so as long as I could comply to those, they were fine with it