To not want to have to pay to wear my work clothes to work ?

[rookiemater]

Our work is having a special charity week for a very worthy childrens charity.

Turned up today in normal work clothes - everyone else in casual, note issued on Friday ( I work p/t) saying that there was a dress down week with a pound to pay each day for the charity for dressing down - fair enough, but a £2 fine each day for those who chose to wear their work clothes.

Thankfully no one found me as they would have got an impolite answer from me had they tried to claim their £2.00. I'm all for fundraising for charity but surely it has to be voluntary as opposed to forced. I work 4 days so if I chose to wear my normal clothes to work that would be £8.00 just for the honour of being there. Fine but my salary has been frozen again as I am at the top of the pay band and meanwhile cost of living is going up all the time. Plus I work with a lot of contractors who clearly will have more disposable cash then I do.

Am I just being mean minded? I don't mind buying cakes, or paying to dress down, but I'm just really rankled about the non voluntary aspect of having to pay to turn up at work which seems a bit insensitive in this financial climate/

Sounds a bit strange to me, at my last job it was always only pay if you want to wear casual/non uniform clothes. They can't force you to pay a "fine" for turning up to work in clothes that are acceptable every other day of the year, if you don't want to give then don't but be prepared that it might make you look stingy to some of your colleagues.

I'd have happily given my £2 and laughed at myself for being the only one in uniform.

I'm not sure why you're so cross about it, seeing as nobody did force you to, or even ask you to donate £2. They probably realised it would be inappropriate to ask, so left it with you to make a donation if you wanted to.

So it's pay or pay?

What if you don't like the charity they have chosen?

Sounds like it was voluntary . If you don't want to join in, then just don't.

I think it was the wording that annoyed me, it said there was a £2.00 fine for wearing work clothes. Yes its true they didn't come and collect money, but I suspect that is because I use the side entrance.

It's not that I object to giving money to charity I just feel it should be voluntary, so those that wear casual gear put in their pound, but if you wear normal work clothes you shouldn't have to pay anything.

Maybe I am just being a bit oversensitive and I do appreciate how challenging it is to raise money for charity, but its just wound me up for some reason.

Yes it would wind me up too, completely agree charity giving should be voluntary, and some people prefer to give to the charity of their choice privately rather than joining in with organised events, which should be respected.

I would still just not join in if you don't want to, they can hardly force you to.

I'd also like to point out that I am not generally uncharitable, currently DS and I are making cup cakes for the cake stall.

YANBU, giving should be voluntary otherwise it's extortion. You give as much as you want to who you want (or not) based on your values, your priorities and what you can afford.

It has to be voluntary.

If you don't want to join in that's your choice.

I also don't care how worthy the cause, as soon as money is demanded I put my purse away. (Then guilt gets the better of me later on when no one's looking)

I think you sound a bit mean to be honest. If you were on casual clothes every day, a £4.00 donation doesn't seem that much. Unless I thought it wasnt a worthwhile cause I wouldn't have a problem.

I know it seems petty to object when it's only £2, it would still annoy me on principle though!

If no-one asked you, it isn't really compulsory, is it? Probably noone thought anyone would take it so seriously!

If no-one asked you, it isn't really compulsory, is it? Probably noone thought anyone would take it so seriously!

I loathe these dress up for charity days and think it should be voluntary.

The wording of the notice is also a little off .... Yanbu and shouldn't be bullied into contributing to a charity you don't want to support.

On Friday my kids have to dress up as their favourite sportsman and pay for the honour ... Deep sigh . ... I really don't want to support red nose sports day

I know I sound mean, I sound mean even to myself, but I think I am just generally aggravated about work at the minute for lots of reasons and to come in and be expected to pay double because I don't work a Friday just wound me up immeasurably for some reason.

I don't want to grumble about it as work as I will sound like the grinch who stole christmas. Ironically it is a good charity and one I would chose to support.

YANBU, and you don't sound mean. I do loads and give loads when it comes to charities I love, but I will not be told who I have to support. There are charities out there that I specifically Do Not Like for whatever reason, they aren't all holier than though just because they managed to register with the CC.

Whoever thought up this bollocks at your work, is a twat.

Do you have to wear a uniform normally? How do they know whether you've 'dressed down'?

I understand what you mean op

Reminds me of being chased by the school secretary for my voluntary donation for the school trip

YANBU nor are you mean.

It really irritates me when someone says you (general you) are mean just because you don't want to donate to a certain charity. There are 161,935 charities registered with the Charity Commision (just googled). There's no way that people can donate to them all and someone trying to guilt trip, by whining '...but it's for charity...', really gets on my nerves and makes me less likely to donate.

YANBU. This sounds completely arseaboutface. Normally one pays for the option of dressing down, not for coming into work dressed in work clothes. It's not a question of being mean but rather, a question of doing these things sensibly and fairly.