Is this allowed or should I go to HR?

[User19]

NC as could be outing.

Hi, just after some advice really.

I'm in a job that I have been in for a year already. We have to be given a uniform and last year I was given a tshirt but it was waaaay too big, when I asked for a smaller size that would fit (sleeves to my elbows) I was told one was on order but I never got it.

Now we have started the new year, the tshirt has been replaced by a polo shirt (which is much nicer). They didn't have my size and only went up to a large. I told my manager who is in charge of ordering uniform and she said she would ''try to order a bigger size''. For now I have been told to use the shirt from last year. Its now been 4 weeks and when I asked her about my new uniform I was told she hadn't ordered it yet - I'm just a bit worried that she won't at all like last year.

I feel bad wearing the other uniform as:

1)It doesn't fit.
2) Its old and not knew like everyone elses so has some wear to it.
3) I have a different shirt to everyone else so it makes me stand out and feel a little bad.

I'm a bigger size than everyone else who works there and I just feel a little upset that they won't order in the right size for me, I know it might sound silly but everyone has the same uniform and I feel like I don't because I'm so big. AIBU if I go to HR and ask them politely to ensure the right size uniform is ordered so I can wear what everyone else is wearing?

[SandyDenny]

Is it a small company? I used to work in an office at a smallish company and the person who ordered the uniform worked in the same office. Her job was a nightmare, I think there were 3 different uniforms when I was there and quite a high staff turnover and she spend ages trying her best to make sure everyone had the right size of the right type of shirt. It wasn't helped by the managers being hopeless as writing down the correct sizes for their teams. Also they had to wait for a certain number of orders or it was too expensive to buy single items

So what I'm saying is that it might be nothing to do with you at all even though it feels personal, I'd follow up with HR, it might just something that can be sorted out easily

[User19]

Very small - our location has 12 members of staff. All have the same uniform so really its just about ordering the sizes, there are 3 managers however, she has the role of sorting out staff uniform etc. Another does schedules and another does some other big part so they all don't have much to do so I know its not that.

The only reason it feels personal is that for the second year on the trot I seem to be given the wrong uniform size while everyone else has the right size.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

I think I'd make the point about it being the second year in a row this has happened to only you, as part of the written request to HR/management. You at least deserve some clarity about this, to know if an XL exists or not, if a women's version exists, if they can get you a generic similar shirt instead etc etc.

[SusanTheGentle]

Wontbedoingthatanytimesoon Did you mean to be so rude? tinkly little laugh.

Did it ever occur to you that a person's size and fitting of clothes are not actually always connected? I am on the plump side of healthy and have cracking tits and not only do I not give a fuck about my weight, because I like the body I have, I also have trouble fitting in with the following:

• shirts with buttons
  
• shirts without buttons
  
• clothes cut for men
  
• clothes cut for women with B cup breasts which is the usual cut in the UK
  
• people who are judgemental about other people's weight when that wasn't actually the question they were being consulted on.
  

The problem here, as usual, is not the person's body, it's the way that person's body is being expected to conform to something it cannot be conformed too.

[User19]

XL exists for sure, she said she would order me some but still hasn't yet- no idea why.

Susan Thank you very much!

[AssassinatedBeauty]

I think I would concentrate on finding out why they haven't ordered you the correct size yet. Is it an issue of waiting for other things to be ordered from the same company, and if so can she estimate a timeframe? Or is it waiting for approval from someone? Has it been passed on to someone higher to deal with and then got stuck with them?

[DJBaggySmalls]

Put your request in writing and ask for a reply within 7 days. If you dont get an answer phone ACAS for advice. Its gone past the point where it could just be an oversight. But dont pay for your own uniform if no one else has to.

The Acas helpline number is 0300 123 1100. It is available Monday 8am-8pm, Tuesday 8am-6pm, Wednesday to Thursday 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-6pm and Saturday 9am-1pm.

www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2042

[User19]

When I asked she told me she just hadn't ordered them yet. There's no one really higher to deal with it, uniforms only get ordered for the beginning of the year and that's all so not waiting for anything else to be ordered.

Thank you very much the advice! I think I'm just going to email HR something like this:

Hello ,

I'm just emailing in regards to my uniform as I've still not be allocated the new polo shirt yet. I understand has said she would order it but since this hasn't been done yet I didn't know if it was something that someone else was dealing with so I wanted to ask you.

If you could let me know when to expect my new uniform that would be great, as you can imagine its a little awkward on shift wearing my old tshirt since it doesn't fit and is so different from everyone else at work.

Thanks,



Does that sound okay?

[Optimist1]

That sounds perfect, User19 - and just to clarify that in my earlier post I wasn't suggesting that you puchase the alternative top, just that by researching an alternative you could pass the info onto HR for the company to buy it for you!

[User19]

Optimist1 Sorry, I must have read it wrong! Thanks for your advice :)

[icelollycraving]

Perhaps they don't come in an xl?
Some companies would be quick to resolve it, others not so much.
I think I would speak to the manager and tell them how it makes you feel. The pp who suggested it was a wake up call etc, that would be possibly the case in some businesses. Ones offering a polo shirt, probably not. It's not cabin crew etc.
Can you imagine the uproar if men were asked which women's size they would be?

[AssassinatedBeauty]

The OP has said that she knows it definitely comes in an XL.

[mamatobabes]

Oh OP that's a bit rotten for you. Yes, they should sort it. Send that email to HR. It's horrible feeling uncomfortable at work. Years ago when I was too young to stand up for myself and question things at work (18-19ish) I used to work in a higher-end high street ladies clothes shop and was a size 12 but had huge boobs (I think a 34FF at the time). Once year the winter uniform was all very fitted slim knit roll neck jumpers some with horizontal stripes and the uniform was from shop stock so we could all 'show off' how nice we looked in the shops clothes.

I looked utterly ridiculous. All boobs. I don't know how me looking like that was supposed to increase sales! Felt so self conscious for months. I asked to change tops, was told no. It was only later that I realised the store manager could have ordered from three different styles tops, one of which was a nice scoop neck and would have suited me really well. For some reason she decided she wanted us all to have the same (was very controlling in other ways too) and just went ahead and ordered what she wanted.

[EBearhug]

Perhaps they don't come in an xl?

From what has been said upthread they do. But if they didn't, I would expect to be told that, not just that they haven't been ordered yet. This is basic communication, not some technically involved legal complication or something.

[PetitFilous123]

I don't think it's an HR matter...

[User19]

It is my first job and I'm 19, hence why I wanted to ask here for advice first. The only reason I asked about HR is because when we had an induction we were told to go to them in confidence if we needed anything.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

It's ok to ask HR if it's something they can help with. I wonder if it might be helpful to join a union, who will definitely have advice helplines. Or try the ACAS helpline given upthread, who can give you advice.

[Arealhumanbeing]

The letter is great. If you don't get a response do send another one.

Send it to HR and copy in your manager if you can.

[SpaghettiAndMeatballs]

I don't think it's an HR matter

Really? Uniform has been an HR matter in the places I've worked with a uniform..... HR's job is to deal with all the admin around employees, which a uniform certainly falls under doesn't it?

[mamatobabes]

As I said OP I was young when I was in a similar situation. If I'd have had the experience I do now (I'm 33 now) I'd have spoken to HR about it.

If an employee has a work based issue that is causing them distress then it's absolutely a HR issue.

OP just keep it professional (your email is fine) and hopefully you'll get it sorted.

[viques]

OP, do you take your t shirt home to launder? I wonder if it could have an unfortunate meeting with a bottle of bleach, or a very hot iron? That would be such a shame.......... you would of course be prepared to wear a plain t shirt from home while your new polo shirt was on order.

[User19]

Viques I do but I think if that happened they just wouldn't let me work until I sorted it so I would lose out on money which I really need.

[BeatriceBeaudelaire]

Most men’s ranges offer an XL, for taller as well as larger men. My mate is 6’8 so no short but an XL covets the bottom of his stomach ( and he’s rake thin so it is literally a length issue ).
So I think there should definitely be an XL on offer ..

[BeatriceBeaudelaire]

Nothing but an XL covers his *

Sorry don’t know what happened there

[Arealhumanbeing]

They cannot stop you working due to their own ineptitude.

Have you sent the email, OP?