Claim for Damaged Clothing

Jarvinio

My terms of employment state that I have to wear a suit for work.

I have today torn my suit whilst performing my legitimate support function and it is beyond repair.

I have approached my employer and asked how I claim for damages.

I have been told that "there is no policy or provision for claiming back financial recompense for damage caused to clothing whilst at work, therefore no claim can be made."

This sounds completely suss to me. Does anyone know if there is a precedent that has been set elsewhere regarding claims such as this?

Any help would be gratefully received

AP007

How did you tear it?

Was it on something at work?

My manger once ripped her blouse at work in the filing area as there was a sharp piece of metal sticking put so the company paid and I have claimed before for tights that ripped on the desk due to it being all jagged

Jarvinio

My suit was caught on a bracket whilst I was manoeuvring a piece of equipment.

Unfortunately my employers can be considered a "no frills" company and will wherever possible attempt to get away with anything if they avoid paying money out

AP007

Jarvinio wrote: »

My suit was caught on a bracket whilst I was manoeuvring a piece of equipment.

Unfortunately my employers can be considered a "no frills" company and will wherever possible attempt to get away with anything if they avoid paying money out

Why was the bracket sticking out?

Is the suit classed as uniform?

Jarvinio

The bracket can reasonably be described as an extension of the equipment.

My suit can also be reasonably classed as uniform. We are not allowed to work in client facing areas without wearing jacket and tie.

Southend1

Sounds like one of those quaint old things we used to have before the Americans made us all into vexatious litigants. I think it was called "an accident".

Maybe your boss has a needle and thread to lend you if you ask nicely?

AP007

Southend1 wrote: »

Sounds like one of those quaint old things we used to have before the Americans made us all into vexatious litigants. I think it was called "an accident".

Maybe your boss has a needle and thread to lend you if you ask nicely?

Maybe he should consult the union?

I bet if a customers suit was ripped they would pay

Jarvinio

@ Southend1

Yes, it was an accident.

Considering I work in an American bank (as a sub contractor) maybe I have been influenced and become vexatious.

The point is suits ain't cheap. I am required by contract to wear one.

How would you feel in the hypothetical situation where you bought a £150 suit (not an extortionately priced one I grant you) on a Saturday and through no fault of your own (i.e. an accident) it was damaged beyond repair on a Monday. You are still expected to arrive at work dressed in a suit on a Tuesday.

I cant afford to be in that situation, if you can all power to your elbow.

I'm not asking for the world here just for my employer to be reasonable and contribute a percentage towards the cost of a new one, which they demand I wear.

Bennifred

What would happen if you wore the damaged suit? Do your terms of employment specify an undamaged suit?

Could the suit be mended - perhaps by a local seamstress or similar?

Southend1

Jarvinio wrote: »

@ Southend1

Yes, it was an accident.

Considering I work in an American bank (as a sub contractor) maybe I have been influenced and become vexatious.

The point is suits ain't cheap. I am required by contract to wear one.

How would you feel in the hypothetical situation where you bought a £150 suit (not an extortionately priced one I grant you) on a Saturday and through no fault of your own (i.e. an accident) it was damaged beyond repair on a Monday. You are still expected to arrive at work dressed in a suit on a Tuesday.

I cant afford to be in that situation, if you can all power to your elbow.

I'm not asking for the world here just for my employer to be reasonable and contribute a percentage towards the cost of a new one, which they demand I wear.

I understand that suits aren't cheap and I would be a little annoyed with myself for not being more careful. However, the path of life never does run smooth, so it's not worth overreacting to situations like this - you'd end up having a heart attack pretty soon if you did!

If it were me, rather than blame someone else and try to make them buy me a new suit, I would be trying to repair the old one. If beyond repair, it's fairly easy to pick up a decent secondhand suit from a charity shop for less than £20. Alternatively you can buy a new one in Primark for around £40.

If its just one piece of the suit that's damaged, see if the shop you bought it from sell separates and still have the same design. If its just the trousers on a £150 suit that need replacing it shouldn't cost more than about £40 to replace them.

Deal with it and move on. Life's too short.

marlot

I always buy a second pair of trousers with my suits, and take my jacket off if I'm moving anything. Also, if you buy in the M&S sale online on boxing day, you can pick them up cheaply.