Workplace uniform

mac1lis

I work for a well known high street retailer and am required to wear their stock daily as uniform.  I have to pay 25% of the price. As I am on national minimum wage, should this 25% be refunded as it takes me below NMW? 

born_again

Better off posting in
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/employment-jobseeking-training
as not a consumer rights issue.

Don't forget you can claim for this in your tax.

Andy_L

Presumably this are "normal clothes" with a company ID badge rather than an actual "uniform"

In which case I would of thought no, but it looks like I'm wrong

"Example 3: A hairdresser requires workers to wear a uniform consisting of any black trousers and any white tee shirt. Workers can purchase these from any shop. The cost of purchasing these items will reduce National Minimum Wage pay, since it is a specific requirement imposed on the worker by the employer"

Although is this a battle you want to fight? 
How likely are they to manage you out?
If you weren't wearing their clothing what would you be wearing & how much would that cost you compared to a 75% discount on their range?

ETA: Forgot link
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/national-minimum-wage-manual/nmwm11220

MSE_Laura_F

I've moved this thread to the Employment, Jobseeking & Training board to maximise its chance of replies.

Thanks,

MSE Laura F

Jillanddy

I would agree with Andy. Is this a fight you really want to have? Unless we actually have a uniform,  we all have to buy whatever we wear for work. At full price. So the only real difference here is that you get a massive discount. I don't.  Occasionally there may be things that "aren't right", but it's better to suck it up. I suspect  this is one of them. 

MrsStepford

It doesn't seem fair to me, for an employer to specify certain clothes as a uniform which the employee has to buy. Not only because the employer is making money out of it. If it was a uniform supplied by an employer, which has to be laundered at home, HMRC gives a variable tax allowance, depending on employment sector. Claim tax relief for your job expenses: Uniforms, work clothing and tools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Savvy_Sue

Martin mentioned NLW in this week's email. You can raise the matter with HMRC anonymously.

And if you want to highlight your rights, join a union and encourage your colleagues to do so too.

Jillanddy

Savvy_Sue said:

Martin mentioned NLW in this week's email. You can raise the matter with HMRC anonymously.

And if you want to highlight your rights, join a union and encourage your colleagues to do so too.

Whilst I don't disagree with any of this. I will repeat - choose one's battles wisely. The employer can simply insist that the employees turn up to work dressed neatly, appropriately, or whatever words they wish to use. The OP and all their colleagues will then end up paying 100% of the cost of their work clothes. It isn't as easy as "come dressed as you please". My employer, like many, has no specified dress requirement, but that doesn't mean that they don't have a say in what and how you wear it. I have, on occasions, had to speak to staff about "inappropriate" clothing (thankfully not often because the conversation about necklines so low that they display the navel is very uncomfortable!); and other styles of dress may not be deemed inappropriate, but they do absolutely nothing for your future career.

The OP doesn't seem to be objecting to getting clothes for 25%, but wants to get them for free. They could very easily end up getting them for 100%. 

theoretica

Jillanddy said:

Savvy_Sue said:

Martin mentioned NLW in this week's email. You can raise the matter with HMRC anonymously.

And if you want to highlight your rights, join a union and encourage your colleagues to do so too.

Whilst I don't disagree with any of this. I will repeat - choose one's battles wisely. The employer can simply insist that the employees turn up to work dressed neatly, appropriately, or whatever words they wish to use. The OP and all their colleagues will then end up paying 100% of the cost of their work clothes. It isn't as easy as "come dressed as you please". My employer, like many, has no specified dress requirement, but that doesn't mean that they don't have a say in what and how you wear it. I have, on occasions, had to speak to staff about "inappropriate" clothing (thankfully not often because the conversation about necklines so low that they display the navel is very uncomfortable!); and other styles of dress may not be deemed inappropriate, but they do absolutely nothing for your future career.

The OP doesn't seem to be objecting to getting clothes for 25%, but wants to get them for free. They could very easily end up getting them for 100%. 

Yes, but much of my work clothing I bought second hand, and some many years ago.  My annual work clothing spend would not go far at all at most highstreet retailers even at 25% off, and especially if I needed to start from scratch or not wear clothes from several seasons ago.  Because my employer's expectations are simply to be as smart as the occasion merits, I have that option.

74jax

When my daughter worked for Clarkes she had to wear items that were available on the shop floor. 
She had something like 4 x 100% off items, 4 x 90% off and 15 x 50% off. 
Do you have to wear the stores branded items or the stores current for sale items? 

Nmwspecialist

mac1lis said:

I work for a well known high street retailer and am required to wear their stock daily as uniform.  I have to pay 25% of the price. As I am on national minimum wage, should this 25% be refunded as it takes me below NMW? 

@mac1lis - If its a requirement by your employer that you must wear their clothes then the price you pay for these (in your case 25% of costs) will reduce your NMW pay in that pay period. Your NMW pay must not fall below the legal NMW rate.