Workwear

[disinfo]

Hi,

This is probably going to sound a bit petty, and if I wasn't so skint at the moment I'd probably just get on with it but......

My employer has always provided me with workwear, just the basics really a few Polo T-Shirts and a couple of pairs of heavy duty trousers and some safety boots.

Recently someone in the office has decided that we don't look professional enough.

Anyway we've been asked to start wearing shirt / tie and normal "office" trousers instead and obviosuly we will have to foot the bill.

I know, I know how much can a few shirts and ties from Primark possibly cost? The problem is that I work in a technical / hands on job and get extremely dirty on a day to day basis, i'm going to have to replace poxy shirts / trousers on a regular basis

Anyway, my question. Is my empoyer perfectly within their rights to do this?

Its all a bit of a Joke anyway really, how can you expect technical staff to work with ties dangling in equipment.

There are obvious H&S implications here but for the tome being i'm just asking about the cost issue.

Matt

 

[Diyisfun]

Unless its a condition of employment or its an H&S issue, you can wear what you want, even a skirt, Ive assume you are a male, Matt

 

[disinfo]

Unless its a condition of employment or its an H&S issue, you can wear what you want, even a skirt, Ive assume you are a male, Matt

The skirt is strictly for weekends!

 

[WoodYouLike]

You could of course invite this 'bright-light' from the office to follow you for a day in his own professional outfit.
Then ask him if he still thinks only tie and 'office' trousers makes a hands-on person professional?

 

[disinfo]

You could of course invite this 'bright-light' from the office to follow you for a day in his own professional outfit.
Then ask him if he still thinks only tie and 'office' trousers makes a hands-on person professional?

Its been suggested before, but we decided that they arnt really qualified enough

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I think I'm going to put a claim in to my employer for all the shirts, trousers, socks, jumpers, shoes, boots I've had to wear as part of my career for the last 20 years. I wonder what he'd say?

 

[Diyisfun]

In my previous job, I got a rip in a shirt, I got paid by the company for a new shirt. (This was about 8 yrs ago & I was on v good ££, with lots of perks) so it does depend on who you are working for.
This company I bring my own toilet paper.

 

[gregers]

i was always lead to believe that if you are employed by a firm then any saftey workwear has to be supplied to the employee,
maybe a comprimise can be achieved but they will have to supply a changing facility when you carry out work at the office.

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

Let Primark and Asda be your friend. Not exactly Jeeves and Hawkes I know but good enough, you can get clip on safety ties.

Just as an aside many many moons ago I worked as a mini cab driver and we were a bunch of scruffy barsts to say the least so the owner (a mental irishwoman nicknamed "mother") decided that all drivers should wear a collar and tie, well the first day of the ruling one guy turned up with boots, shorts, no shirt just the collar of a shirt and an outrageous kipper tie next guy turned in with a Tshirt that had a collar and tie printed on it next man a normal shirt with a bow tie that lit up and went round like a propellor.............mother went apepoo but never brought up the subject again.........sighs.... happy days

You could try the same

 

[breezer]

buy and wear as suggested untill it is too gruby / torn, then go into the office and see what is said

 

[kirkgas]

it is irrelevant if you can purchase shirts cheaply or not, if the company impose a dress code they have to supply the workwear, work shirts can be purchased with a logo by the company for about a fiver so money isnt an issue for them if they want to promote a corporate image, unless your contract dictates dress code they cant change it now, the only exceptions are your own clothes with offensive/racist logos, or sometimes football tops are not allowed in case there is any trouble (west of scotland anyway )

 

[disinfo]

it is irrelevant if you can purchase shirts cheaply or not, if the company impose a dress code they have to supply the workwear, work shirts can be purchased with a logo by the company for about a fiver so money isnt an issue for them if they want to promote a corporate image, unless your contract dictates dress code they cant change it now, the only exceptions are your own clothes with offensive/racist logos, or sometimes football tops are not allowed in case there is any trouble (west of scotland anyway )

Which is how its always been up until now, work have basically provided me with a few company polo shirts and a couple of decent pairs of trousers a year, decent trousers which can be washed at 50 when needed (or so she tells me)

I just think its pathetic that we now have to go out and buy shirts ties and trousers which are just going to get destroyed in weeks on the whim of some office weenie who is o' so proud of his M&S suits.

I have other issues with my place of work at the moment, which is partly why minor things like this are getting to me!

 

[mattylad]

And if you do end up footing the bill for them, AFAIK you can claim the cost of them back from the taxman.

 

[kirkgas]

it is difficut to claim tax relief on "ordinary" clothes as opposed to specific work clothes (safety boots, overalls etc) as the taxman will say you use the clothes out of work, easier to tell your boss if they want you to wear a shirt and tie they supply them

 

[CortinaV8]

I would just let the management know its not on, you can't realistically expect anyone doing a hands on type job to work wearing a shirt and tie.

My work was mainly office based network diagnostic work so it was stipulated shirt/tie should be worn, I had to complain about the work attire when I was sent out to building sites, I can cope with getting dirty but the **** taking from the site workers was driving me mad.