Enforcement of Dress Code

thescouselander

Just looking for a bit of advice from someone knowledgeable on a small issue at work. In short my employer restricts parking at their site and the only way I can get to work is on my bike. Limited shower and changing facilities are provided so I therefore arrive at my desk in my cycling gear (no lycra - just baggy shorts and a T Shirt) until such time as the shower becomes free and I can change into normal office attire.

Someone in the office has complained about people wearing sports kit in the office so now a dictat has been issued that no sports kit shall be worn in the office although there is no dress code generally enforced. Clearly this doesnt leave me with many options and I would have thought it reasonable for them to allow me the 10 or 15 mins it takes for the shower to become free before changing.


Does anyone know the legal position on this?

TELLIT01

A company can implement pretty much any dress code they wish, although I agree that if you can't access facilities to change immediately on arrival it seems petty to enforce it in your situation.
There is a difference between travelling to work in 'sports kit' and needing time to change, and sitting all day wearing a rugby outfit.
Would you have a better chance of getting a shower on arrival if you went in a little earlier? It's not really reasonable to expect you employer to pay you for the time you are in the shower and getting ready for work either.

thescouselander

I doubt it would be easier to get a shower at any particular time of the day.

Also, I work at odd times and don't necessarily accrue that to my hours - if everyone was to get petty about things I could easily start accounting for the time I spend answering emails out of normal hours - that more than compensates for the 10 mins a day I spend in the shower. This isn't really an issue though as nobody has said anything about this.

tomtontom

If the shower is not free can you not just have a good wash at the sink? Not every workplace has showers and people still manage to stay fragrant

liney

If no sports kit is to be worn in the office (perfectly legal, reasonable and enforceable) then you need to arrive in good time to have a shower before your shift starts.


I'd not cause any fuss over this, or the legalities of you 'stealing company time' taking a shower may suddenly become a very real problem.


Answering emails out of the office is a separate issue entirely, and is not linked to you not being dressed suitably to work during working hours or taking an unauthorised break.

thescouselander

liney wrote: »

If no sports kit is to be worn in the office (perfectly legal, reasonable and enforceable) then you need to arrive in good time to have a shower before your shift starts.


I'd not cause any fuss over this, or the legalities of you 'stealing company time' taking a shower may suddenly become a very real problem.


Answering emails out of the office is a separate issue entirely, and is not linked to you not being dressed suitably to work during working hours or taking an unauthorised break.

Just to be clear I am not a shift worker and I work flexi-time so I can effectively work whenever I want. I could record my time very strictly but this is not practical so I usually get it about right with any inaccuracy being in my employers favour.

Time is not the issue though. The diktat was issued because someone in the office complained that sports kit offended them in some way for reasons unclear to the rest of us. Other than that there is no reason why we can't wear what we want and indeed some people do wear what they want. I'd also say I am myself part of the management team so I'm concerned about enforcing this policy on my staff but I'd need to convince my peers (some of them more senior) as to the reasons for providing some flexibility. As far as I was aware dress code needs to be based on a reasonable requirement but I'm no legal expert.

nellytheelephant

Get some of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Muc-Off-Dry-Shower-200ml-without/dp/B009IUT4EQ

theoretica

Or could you cycle a tad slower so you don't need a shower?

boliston

Not many employers have showers and people cope fine with cycling to work. I would cycle a bit slower to avoid getting so sweaty but you can still take a flanel & towel and have a quick wash using the basin if the shower is busy.

specialboy

Just throw a pair of trouser.on over your shorts until you can get to the showers....simple.

Transformers

thescouselander wrote: »

Just to be clear I am not a shift worker and I work flexi-time so I can effectively work whenever I want. I could record my time very strictly but this is not practical so I usually get it about right with any inaccuracy being in my employers favour.

Time is not the issue though. The diktat was issued because someone in the office complained that sports kit offended them in some way for reasons unclear to the rest of us. Other than that there is no reason why we can't wear what we want and indeed some people do wear what they want. I'd also say I am myself part of the management team so I'm concerned about enforcing this policy on my staff but I'd need to convince my peers (some of them more senior) as to the reasons for providing some flexibility. As far as I was aware dress code needs to be based on a reasonable requirement but I'm no legal expert.

As a manager, you should already know the policies of dress and attendance for your workplace. If sports wear is currently not acceptable then you should not be at your desk in shorts.

If your employer wants to establish (or enforce) a dress code then you, as a manager, will need to lead by example. Why is this unreasonable?

As to your personal issue, how you get to work (and shower) is your responsibility NOT your employer.

Any reasonable employee would expect to be showered and ready to work in good time. So, you need to arrive in time to get into the shower before you start work.

I don't get what your problem is really.