We have a specific dress code...

[Rageaholic]

but you have to buy your own clothes.

This happened with my brother, who works as a server at a restaurant. Corporate decided to make the existing dress code even more restricting so now he has to buy new clothes, spending more money just to keep a job.

The way I see it, if corporate wants people to dress a certain way, they should provide the uniforms themselves, not expect minimum wage employees to foot the bill to keep their job. Otherwise, they should just leave the dress code alone because they're usually a bunch of crap anyway.

On the topic of dress codes, I once had it pointed out to me that I was in violation of my work dress code because I had a hole in my shirt. The 'hole' was smalller than a pencil eraser, but it was brought up anyway.

[Gravekeeper]

Wasn't there some uproar in the news a while back over a similar situation like this? I'm pretty sure it was Walmart ( Because if its flagrantly ignorant or uncaring towards minimum wage workers its probably Walmart. )

....Yeah, it was Walmart and it backfired pretty spectacularly on them.

[s_stabeler]

I have to agree that Corporate should provide at least a couple of uniforms free- specifically, so that, in the event you can't afford the uniform, you aren't forced to lose your job.

dress codes aren't necessarily a bunch of crap though- the idea is a) to help identify who'e an employee and b) make the place look somewhat more professional. Having said that, depending on the position, uniform ( or dress code) requirements don't need to be THAT strict. ( Off the top of my head, for a cashier, pretty much anything goes-though for reasons that should be obvious, i'd advise against tank tops- wile for a server, something more formal IS usually justified ( it DOES depend on where- I'm assuming a restaurant, a pub or similar can again probably get away with the servers wearing pretty much anything.) whereas if you have a dress code for a building site, you're going to get laughed at ( with the obvious exceptions of requiring safety gear)

In short, a dress code isn't usually stupid, but use some common sense- and for dress codes that aren't "whatever, provided it isn't offensive", provide a couple of sets for free.

[Rageaholic]

Dress codes become crap when they get all nitpicky. Like in my example, the tiny hole in the shirt that no one would even notice. Or schools sending girls home because their skirt is a couple of centimeters too short.

[fireheart17]

Or schools sending girls home because their skirt is a couple of centimeters too short.

Over here, they're a tad vague on the ruling to account for growth. Usually it's something like "it cannot be any longer than mid-calf, but cannot be any shorter than a palm width above the knee." Then again, we do have uniforms

There was a BIG hoo-ha over this in a few magazines and newspapers a while back, but more specifically relating to people (usually girls) who work in clothing stores. There, they were required to buy the "latest season" outfits and woe betide you if the store you worked in charged megabucks for the clothing. A lot of people were unaware that this is actually in violation of fair work laws unless they were reimbursed for said clothing. Many clothing stores provide massive ass discounts (30%+) to try and offset the cost, but it often isn't enough.

Clothing sections in department stores often went one of two ways: they had a uniform provided, or they would reimburse employees for any clothing if it was bought specifically for work (and it still had to fit within company guidelines for shoulders, knees and decency so employees just couldn't wear their favourite maxi dress to work and pass it off as "company bought").

[s_stabeler]

Dress codes become crap when they get all nitpicky. Like in my example, the tiny hole in the shirt that no one would even notice. Or schools sending girls home because their skirt is a couple of centimeters too short.

pretty much- although it DOES depend on the skirt in question, my old school had girls wearing skirts that barely covered their ass, which IS justfiable to send home for- and with the shirt, it depends on where the hole was.(and was it a pinhole, or an actual rip?)

[Panacea]

Dress codes become crap when they get all nitpicky. Like in my example, the tiny hole in the shirt that no one would even notice. Or schools sending girls home because their skirt is a couple of centimeters too short.

I've sent students home because their uniforms were not in good condition: not ironed, smelling of smoke, or dirty.

Clearly, someone noticed the hole, which is why something was said. I've told students with stained uniforms that if they can't get the stains out, they must replace the item before the following clinic day.

It's about professionalism.

Now requiring expensive clothing for a waiting job that pays less than minimum wage is not a smart thing to do if you run a restaurant that is not high end, bringing in customers who pay the kinds of tips that would justify the expense.

More than likely, the owner will lose employees who can't afford the cost, and have a hard time replacing them. This particular problem will likely solve itself, because the demand is not reasonable.

[Andara Bledin]

If there is an actual uniform, then the company should provide it.

If it's just a specific style of dress that isn't specific to a single company, suck it up and either get what you need or find a new job.

I've worked a crapton of jobs that required that I dress "business professional." This is easier for men than women because women's clothing is marked up because, essentially, women deserve to be upcharged more. >_<

Only the jobs I was in were internal to the company and I had absolutely zero chance of ever being seen by the customer base, but I still had to dress "professionally." If you're in a customer-facing environment? Dress the part or get a different job.

[Rageaholic]

It's a specific type of clothing. They previously had a different dress code, but they changed it. Employees should not be forced to buy new clothes to keep their current jobs, especially when they're minimum wage jobs.

Clearly, someone noticed the hole, which is why something was said.

Only because they were standing right next to me lol. I mean, I didn't get in trouble or anything, but at the same time, I'm not going to obsess over a small hole on the sleeve of my shirt. It's not like it was easy to catch.

[Kuari]

Two words: thrift stores.

That is where I buy a majority of my clothes anyways, including business casual/professional stuff. When I working as a server the dress code usually specified black pants or skirts so I never batted an eyelash at it. Now if it was a colour like beige I would be a little put out because that is not the easiest colour to get at a thrift store but dressing for the job is pretty much expected.

[s_stabeler]

I can sort of see Rageaholic's point, even though it's true enough that it being a specific style means you should generally suck it up. to use an extreme example, what if the place goes from allowing you to wear whatever's in your wardrobe to requiring a formal suit? that could run quite a bit of money, wiping out a not-inconsiderable chunk of the employee's wages. ( and remember that on minimum wage, you are almost certainly paycheck-to-paycheck and in many places, reliant on food stamps to put food on the table. buying new clothes for work may be a serious problem.

the biggest problem, really, is when dress code requirements change seemingly on a whim. I don't think either me or Rageaholic are complaining about dress codes in general- if you know a workplace requires business professional, then coming in in a t-shirt and shorts should probably be considered a resignation- but when a workplace suddenly makes the dres code significantly stricter? it can be unfair.

[Rageaholic]

the biggest problem, really, is when dress code requirements change seemingly on a whim. I don't think either me or Rageaholic are complaining about dress codes in general- if you know a workplace requires business professional, then coming in in a t-shirt and shorts should probably be considered a resignation- but when a workplace suddenly makes the dres code significantly stricter? it can be unfair.

Pretty much this.

I don't like dress code, but I accept them. However, when the dress codes become a burden, either financialy, or by causing someone OCD by obsessing over small holes, fuck em.

[Gravekeeper]

Yeah, there's no problem with a dress code. Its changing the dress code on a whim and requiring your minimum wage employees to foot the cost of your whims. Its a sneaky way of basically enforcing a uniform without having to spend any money. As its illegal to force employees to purchase their own uniforms. But by calling it a dress code you can skirt that rule to create an unofficial uniform so to speak. "Dress code" being legally defined as basically "clothes you can wear somewhere else aside from at work" in US labour law.

The law is similar in Canada with the clothes having to be of "practical use" to an employee outside of work for them to be considered a dress code instead of a uniform. A company also can't be overly specific about it. IE they can't tell you to wear a specific colour and brand of clothing and/or tell you to purchase it at a specific place as that constitutes a uniform, not a dress code.

[fireheart17]

Two words: thrift stores.

That is where I buy a majority of my clothes anyways, including business casual/professional stuff. When I working as a server the dress code usually specified black pants or skirts so I never batted an eyelash at it. Now if it was a colour like beige I would be a little put out because that is not the easiest colour to get at a thrift store but dressing for the job is pretty much expected.

For clothing stores, that's not usually the case.

I did manage to buy a pair of black "dress" pants through a thrift store though. Those pants continue to serve me well.

[Panacea]

Two words: thrift stores.

That is where I buy a majority of my clothes anyways, including business casual/professional stuff. When I working as a server the dress code usually specified black pants or skirts so I never batted an eyelash at it. Now if it was a colour like beige I would be a little put out because that is not the easiest colour to get at a thrift store but dressing for the job is pretty much expected.

I have a great outfit that I wore to a deposition that I got in a thrift store: blouse and skirt. I looked very business professional, and both items were practically new.

You can get a range of quality in thrift stores, from rags to riches.