Short skirt and heels for work

GemBlueTopaz1984

Hi,

I have a query about work uniforms, A girl I work with has a weekend night job in a bar, she is complaining that the female staff are required to wear above knee length skirts and heels for work, she is allowed to wear tights thursday and friday but not sat night. She is 5ft 10" and would rather wear flats and trousers like the male staff or atleast be able to wear tights all the time. I was wondering if anyone knew the legalities of this. I have a feeling it is more of a like it or leave situation.

theoretica

Hmm... they haven't specified how and where she is to wear these heels and short skirts have they? If she is resigned to leaving I would think about turning up in a very novel hat (with heels as decoration)...

GemBlueTopaz1984

lol that would quite the crafts project to make, she has to dress all in black, i just thought that requiring a short skirt and heels on the female employees (apparently he only interviews attractive young people) was a bit sexist, surely they should have the option to wear the same as the guys and heels in a bar enviroment especially if you aren't used to wearing them is a bit dangerous.

princessdon

I used to do bar jobs at Uni- similar dress code (plus a more revealing top than I'd like).

Wasn't keen - felt it was against women's rights etc - but needed the money.

Sad to say - I stayed for a lot longer than I liked to because the tips were fantastic so allowed me to work less hours and pay the mortgage.

marybelle01

GemBlueTopaz1984 wrote: »

lol that would quite the crafts project to make, she has to dress all in black, i just thought that requiring a short skirt and heels on the female employees (apparently he only interviews attractive young people) was a bit sexist, surely they should have the option to wear the same as the guys and heels in a bar enviroment especially if you aren't used to wearing them is a bit dangerous.

I would have said a lot sexist and quite possibly direct sex discrimination, in that it is not simply a dress code, but one that goes to the extent of specifying the length of the skirt (so what is wrong with longer skirts? They are just as smart) and high heels - which I would have thought raised a myriad of health and safety issues, quite apart from how safe they are in a bar environment, such as being on your feet for lengthy periods in shoes that are not comfortable.

A bit of an aside, but the other day I recall seeing an ad on tv that was for some blister patch designed supposedly by a supermodel or some such celebrity specifically to allow you to protect your blisters when wearing high heels (which caused the blisters in the first place!). I recall thinking that it would be so much more sensible if you didn't wear shoes that gave you blisters!!!

All that said, I doubt she is about to launch a legal campaign on the issue so it is probably moot.

Some interesting information here though http://www.xperthr.co.uk/faqs/topics/6,151/dress-codes.aspx?articleid=98056&mode=open#98056 on the subject.

getmore4less

Get a job at JDW

most staff seem to wear the same uniform, dark trousers and a t-shirt advertising something currently the cider festival.

supervisors seem to be able to use thir own stuff.

thorsoak

Ditty from the 1960s:-

If skirts get much shorter
Said the typist with a sob
My boss will lose his eyesight
And I shall lose my job!

bluenoseam

Lets be honest, we all know it's designed to get punters to part with more cash, long skirts wouldn't improve that (neither would me working behind the bar as regardless as to what the men are wearing, they will all be 5ft 10ish, athletic & good looking). It's sexist, it's shameful, but it's arguably one of those things which you know is likely to be the case when you work in bars and ultimately is uniform policy.

Acc72

I assume that your friend knew of the dress code before she applied for the job ?

Is your friend also considered to be rather attractive ?

If so, I am sure we all know that this would have been a contributing factor in her actually getting the job (in preference to less attractive females or males).

Surely this is sex discrimination also ?

Although as this worked in her favour I guess she is not so bothered about that ?

If we are going to get moralistic then surely we cannot pick and choose to suit ourselves what we agree / disagree with ?

marybelle01

Acc72 wrote: »

I assume that your friend knew of the dress code before she applied for the job ?

Is your friend also considered to be rather attractive ?

If so, I am sure we all know that this would have been a contributing factor in her actually getting the job (in preference to less attractive females or males).

Surely this is sex discrimination also ?

Although as this worked in her favour I guess she is not so bothered about that ?

If we are going to get moralistic then surely we cannot pick and choose to suit ourselves what we agree / disagree with ?

I wasn't aware we were getting moralistic about it. Sex discrimination is wrong no matter what the circumstances, but that doesn't change the fact that it is also wrong in this circumstance. It is no different than someone getting a job as a secretary because the boss likes her looks and has ignored her typing speed, but that doesn't give him the right to dictate the depth of her neckline.

DVardysShadow

marybelle01 wrote: »

It is no different than someone getting a job as a secretary because the boss likes her looks and has ignored her typing speed, but that doesn't give him the right to dictate the depth of her neckline.

Taking dictation is part and parcel of a secretarial job. Of course he would have the right to dictate "the depth of her neckline". And she would rightly be in trouble if she did not type it.