Dress Code

[DinkyGT]

I'll try to keep it as brief as possible!
Started work in June for a company who had a dress code of 'smart dresses or skirts' for women. I challenged this prior to accepting the role and was assured hat the policy was being reviewed shortly and the dress code would change.

A few months in and we move offices. Prior to the move, one of the directors told me that when we get to the new offices the new dress code would be implemented meaning women could wear trousers also if they wish.

We are in the new offices now, nothing has been mentioned about dress code and when I e-mailed the director covering HR about whether there was an update he quite abruptly wrote that when I started i was 'informed about the dress code which everyone complies with' and they will write a review when they have time.

My main issue with all this is that the company directors/owners are part of a religious group and the dress code is a reflection of their beliefs. These are not my beliefs and I would like a choice, but women do not get a choice in their particular group. Also, all of the directors are men, are part of the same family and all hold these beliefs very strongly.

Am I in any position here to push this further? Are they allowed to have such a strict dress code which, in my opinion, unfairly discriminates against female workers? Any advice would be appreciated.

What would happen if you went to work in trousers? They sound like a bunch of cockwombles but I'm genuinely interested in what they would do. It would obviously depend how far you wanted to take it but that woman in London won her case about the high heels and make up didn't she? I've absolutely no legal knowledge just curious if they would send you home/order you to change clothes as it seems so utterly ridiculous to me.

they will write a review when they have time.

Offer to save them some effort, by writing the first draft. It sounds like they're not going to change: if your values are so fundamentally different you may well have to part ways.

Employers are allowed to have strict dress codes and that can mean not allowing trousers for female staff or requiring men to wear a tie and jacket.

No Daisy, she lost. The compaired it to asking men to wear ties. Because y'know ties and heels are completely the same.

Thanks all - yes Daisy they are a bunch of Cockwombles I'm afraid and I am looking to part ways ASAP!
My understanding was that employers were not supposed to impose a dress code which unfairly advantaged one sex against the other e.g. Making women wear skirts/dresses but no such specificity for the men, simply 'smart office wear'. The men can wear what they are comfortable in within those guidelines but as a woman preferring trousers I am not comfortable and do not like how I look in skirts. Obviously that's personal but other women in the office feel the same and are always met with great resistance whenever it is mentioned.

I very very nearly wore a pair of trousers today to see what would happen (as I have no idea what WOULD) but I ducked out awaiting some further investigation into how I could 'poke the angry bear' so to speak

Could you do the dress and trousers type thing? then stop wearing the dress?

Update - today I have seen a female member of staff wearing trousers!!!

We have 2 areas of the business - sales and operations. Secretary for the operations was the one wearing trousers! They have a separate office to where I am but they use the same communal facilities and our bosses are ultimately the same.

Stupidly however, I feel a bit too afraid to come in wearing trousers - I feel nervous thinking about it as I hate confrontation

Unfortunately as long as the code is reflected equally for the men - so "Smart office wear" - then, unbelieveably, it is not discriminatory.

I wonder what would happen if you refused to wear a skirt or dress on religious grounds?!

I turned down a job working for the Plymouth brethren for this exact reason. They also refuse to eat or socialise with anyone out of their religion. I felt that despite me respecting their religion they had no respect in the end for others.

What Christian based religion says you can't eat with other people and woman have to wear skirts or trousers? It's awful

I would just wear trousers

this was reviewed in parliament recently as far as I understood it, there was no change

if you have seen someone else in trousers I would just go in in trousers. Sadly it does depend how much you are prepared to risk the job.

It is awful, I don't know why parliament didn't crack down on this!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/21/government-rejects-ban-employers-forcing-women-wear-high-heels/

Speak to the secretary and arrange to wear trousers on the same day and see what happens. I’m amazed this is still something employers can get away with in 2017- would be different if they provided a uniform, but it’s another thing entirely asking people to go out and buy clothes to replace perfectly suitable business wear on the basis of your religious beliefs. Are you in NI by any chance? This is the sort of stuff some local firms would pull here.

Also TMI alert but if I wear tights everyday I get thrush. I’d be tempted to get a doctor’s line and see what the reaction was in those circumstances

Craic - you just reminded me - a lot of my supposed eczema was due to wearing tights as we had to wear skirts at school.

I don't have eczema now. Mum tried so hard to get the school to allow trousers, but no... I actually still have skin discolouration from the eczema. So that's another thing OP could say.

How long do you plan to stay? (Rhetorical question) If the time horizon is pretty short (a year, two years) it might not be worth the trouble to bring it up to discussion and risk a bad review. That said, I work in a company where anybody may wear trousers any day, or a dress or a skirt if they want to.

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/329888741439882367/

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/466615211383733475/

these are beautiful outfits ;)

OjOj - it is PB here. Very isolated working environment. I wasn't told about the company being PB until a few days in!!!!

I think I can grin and bear it I suppose rather than make a massive fuss but the tights wearing thing is bothering me! I do wear leggings under a dress or skirt occasionally but I don't own many pairs and also my body has changed since having a baby and my clothes aren't as forgiving as they used to be hence my preference for trousers etc.

Thanks Butterfly I'm inspired

Get all the women to come in on the same day wearing black trousers and nice blouse - that'll show 'em

And ask the men if they'll wear kilts for a day.

Then send a photo to the Daily Fail

Your employers are truly living in the Dark Ages!

wear a very short skirt, and when they complain, offer to wear trousers instead!

OP - did you know the company was religious in any way?

I had to look up PB, never heard of it. But if I was employed thinking it was just a regular company and then found it had any religious ethos....I'm overthinking this right? That can't be what happened?

Slim - that's what happened! On my first day I had an induction with different staff members etc and later in the same week had a further induction with one of the directors who deals with H&S. he gave me the H&S policies to look through and the employee handbook and it was only when I read the first page of the handbook that I saw PB first mentioned. I had no idea what they were about despite knowing they wanted 'differentiation' between and women with regard to clothing at work!
I did my own research and only one colleague who is also non bretheren has ever told me more about the community and what is/isn't acceptable like eating with others etc.

There are only about 8 of us in the workplace who are non bretheren.

What does PB stand for? I’m intrigued

Where in the bible does it say skirts for women are obligatory? Do you have to keep your hair long too?

Plymouth brethren namechange - it's a very strict Christian denomination. Think women who can't speak in church and must cover their heads (that's actually the least of it).