Dress codes: are they beneficial?

[SassyCassie]

My office has recently updated its dress code and the only footwear listed for women is 'appropriate heels'. This is very upsetting (not only for my collection of flats) but the health risks they can cause. A quick Google search shows that heels can affect circulation in the legs and cause feet, knee and back pains. I cannot believe this is seen as justifiable for the sake of 'appropriate' footwear, despite many flat footwear options being just as formal and smart.
Has anyone else had this sort of issue? If so is it something that could be resolved with higher management teams?

You could try wearing men's shoes. They can't really say anything then as other members of staff would be wearing yhem too. (Or for a laugh, get the men to wear stilletoes)

I think they can be very beneficial in some instances and very sexiest and/or harmful in others.

The heels mandate is appalling. What is the men's footwear mandate?

Regardless of the men's mandate I would take it up with higher management.

They aren't allowed to do this, it's discrination. There was a big case about it a couple of years ago.

See I’d read appropriate heels as meaning ones that aren’t too high!

I would also assume it meant not ridiculously high.

There was an attempt at a test case a couple of years ago, which I think failed. The short answer appears to be "yes, they can force you to wear heels."

www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=can+an+employer+insist+on+heels

There was a petition to bring the matter before parliament, but the government didn't do anything to change the law:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/21/government-rejects-ban-employers-forcing-women-wear-high-heels/
(apologies if behind a pay-wall: I think if you give them your email address you can read a certain number of free articles each week).

Doing so of course makes them complete twats. I'd go into HR and ask what the reasoning behind this is, and what they offer by way of exemptions on health grounds - then get a letter from your GP/ a podiatrist listing the damage heels do and saying you can't wear them for health reasons.

Just ask HR why only the women have to wear “ appropriate heels “?

Is this a genuine occupational requirement ? Is there some part of the job that can only be done by people wearing heels and if so, why don’t the men have to wear them?

@Marmite27 Agreed yet the operative word is heels thus it appears to be a mandate to force women to wear heels. If they meant formal or dress shoes with qualifiers e.g. heels under 3" or dress flats or orthopedic dress shoes they should state it that way for clarity. Perhaps I'm being too critical but I have painstakingly written several of these manuals (in the US of course).

I actually would read it as not too high and unsafe eg block heeled court shoes rather than stilettos. A proper shoe with a small heel (not ballet flats) is fine usually

I'd interpret this to mean flats or moderate heels, but not outrageous stilettos. Depends on the job, maybe!

A few years ago an American airline got into a lot of controversy by calling for "tasteful makeup". A woman was fired and then reinstated but I think quit anyway, because she preferred not to use cosmetics at all, and they said it was all a mistake, that the rule was meant to bar bizarre makeup, not to require every woman to wear makeup (though they obviously assumed all women would).

There was a case a few years ago. There was a big petition. Women and equalities select Committee looked at the issue (surprisingly commonplace). I think the upshot was some government guidance saying it was probably discrimination to ask women to wear heels.

I would definitely challenge.

Here you go. Show this to your HR or boss. www.gov.uk/government/publications/dress-codes-and-sex-discrimination-what-you-need-to-know

I think if I was you I'd carry on wearing flats, and if challenged look blankly and say you assumed that the code simply meant no inappropriate heels, because saying women must wear heels is clearly discriminatory.

Surely, appropriate heels could be half an inch?

This would boil my blood. I can't wear heels so would definitely object/seek clarification

I think it is saying that very high heels are inappropriate. I would interpret it to mean flats are fine.

See I’d read appropriate heels as meaning ones that aren’t too high!

Me too. "Inappropriate heels" in an office context are 6 inch stripper heels , not flats.

Wait - appropriate heels means not too high though?

You might want to ask before you go in all guns glazing. I don't think it is telling you to wear high heels- quite the opposite.

I wouldn't bother asking, just keep that link handy in case it turns out they are being daft.

Because men don't tend to wear heels at all but some women do, I I too would interpret this as meaning flats for women are fine but if they wear heels they need to be appropriate not ridiculously high.

It means flat or not too high. The heel is just the back bit of the shoe.

I wear brogues or ankle boots, with a solid heel of about one and a half inches. They’re still ‘heels’. I wouldn’t worry about it, just wear sensible shoes and point out that they have an ‘appropriate heel’ if there are any comments. Which, like other posters, I don’t think there will be, unless there are any other requirements for women in the dress code that add context to the shoe clause.

I wear flats all the time due to tendon injury. I would also assume it means no high heels