Work expect us to look like models

[Coldpop]

I've started a job in a clothing store where staff wear their own clothes.. or so I thought. No. We have to wear the clothes that work sell and we only get 70% discount. We have to have everything from work, top bottoms and shoes. We also have to wear stuff from the current season, so every 3 months we are expected to buy more tops bottoms shoes as we can no longer wear what isn't being sold in store. I'm on a 18 hour contract, barely over minimum wage. I can't afford this! I'm a mum with a mortgage. Clothes in my family have to last us till they need replacing. I also think it's very wasteful to have to constantly buy clothing. At the least to be able to buy the cheapest stuff from work it will cost me about £80- 100 every 3 months. It's not exactly a cheap store. There's posters up all over the staff room telling us to inspire customers with our outfit choices, that we have to be stylish at all times!. Im used to dressing smart for work.. but Im going to feel mugged every 3 months that I have to part with my wages to be an advert for my employer. I've just started, I've had no wages but I've been asked to sort my outfit choices as soon as possible. Don't know what to do. Is this the norm in retail now?

I also think people are misunderstanding the staff discount in most retailers. Staff will get a hefty 75% ish discount on clothes they are buying AS UNIFORM. The store will have a budget and the manager will allocate that accordingly - someone who works 4 days a week will be able to buy 4 times as much as someone who just works a Saturday. Manager will have to give a yes/no on whether an item is suitable for work and will veto anything too skimpy or impractical. In DD's experience, her manager knows what items are "that season" and which are more classic pieces like black trousers or skirts and direct staff to buy accordingly. Managers know what each staff member has as uniform and will expect to see it worn.

This is ENTIRELY SEPARATE from the staff discount for buying other clothes for yourself or for gifts, or other things that the store might sell like furniture, bedding, candles, perfume. Most stores do give a discount on those too, but more like 25% not 75%.

OP has not been back to enlighten us about where she works and what she is spending £100 every 3 months on.

If it’s only two tops they could be washed by hand!

None of that has ever been true in any of the clothing shops I've worked in, though so you really can't declare it as gospel.

For example, at my last job, we got:

A uniform allowance of £350 per year for full-timers, going down to £150 per year for part-timers (everyone did a minimum of two days per week). We could pretty much buy anything we wanted with that money - jeans, tops, hoodies, t-shirts, shirts, sweaters, socks, shoes etc.
A 50% discount off anything else from the company brand in store. We could also use this discount for immediate family/friends as long as we purchased via head office.
A 33% discount off any sale items (also for friends/family).
A 33% discount off items non-company brand items (eg. bought-in accessories, footwear).

I never had to pay for uniform and my manager never had a veto. If the store sold it, we could wear it - though it was an outdoor retailer so everything was very sensible anyway My manager also couldn't care less whether I wore my uniform allowance to work or not - as long it was company branded, I could wear what I wanted, current or past season.

That's appalling! It should be given to you free of charge.

Would you be prepared to name & shame, or DM me the name, OP? I would like to avoid shops like this that rip off their staff.

As said upthread, many shops do this

I read somewhere that staff were wearing clothes off the rails and then returning them, unwashed!

I've worked for a brand selling clothes for the past 15 years. When I first started working there we were given an allowance to buy uniform (from anywhere!) . Then they provided us with uniform shirts , then a selection of shirts, cardigans, tops to choose from . Now we don't get anything. Managers can get 70% off to buy pieces to wear as uniform but not regular staff. I have a couple of pieces of clothing from the brand which I bought with my regular discount . The one that most customers ask me about is a tunic/dress I bought from the brand more than 10 years ago!
I do think we should be provided with an allowance or uniform pieces.

If you have to wear certain clothes for work, and the cost of buying those takes you below minimum wage, it’s a breach. Report them to HMRC

It isn’t a uniform and it isn’t tax deductible.

There is no need to name and shame, have you never been into a clothes shop? The staff are always wearing the shops own clothes, I had always made the assumption they were told to.

Be clear on your employment rights - Any amount taken from wages to fund uniform, items of clothing, shoes or overalls that an employer requires staff to wear in connection with their work will be an unlawful breach of national minimum wage law if it takes pay below the National Minimum Wage threshold.

Given that you are making “barely over the minimum wage” I’d suggest that the demand being made to change outfits every three months will take you below the National Minimum Wage and is therefore unlawful - especially as you will be getting your outfit in a single month.

I know it’s hard but they are breaking the law. If they either insist you buy the outfit or fire you for complaining - you can make a formal complaint here. I’d suggest you contact the HR dept (go directly to the HR director) if it’s a national store in the first instance. Your post has already made the Daily Mirror - so you could name and shame

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-minimum-wage-enquiries-and-complaints

Be clear on your employment rights - Any amount taken from wages to fund uniform, items of clothing, shoes or overalls that an employer requires staff to wear in connection with their work will be an unlawful breach of national minimum wage law if it takes pay below the National Minimum Wage threshold.

Since so many high profile clothes shops do this, I think pretty much all the regulars you have on the high street, I find it highly doubtful that they are brazenly breaking the law. There will be a legal loop hole somewhere. OP can by all means try and start some kind of national campaign if she’s got the time and inclination - but in terms of her own personal working circumstances at this moment she’s not going to change anything for herself here by waving some irrelevant legal document in their faces. You start going on about ‘employment rights’ regarding this and they are just going to dismiss what you’re saying and probably laugh at you behind your back, you’re going to look like a first class idiot. As pp said, for most people going into retail work this wouldn’t come as a big shock or surprise, so you already look a bit silly for not realising. And for many sales assistants this is a perk of the job and why retail jobs are attractive to some - they happily buy the clothes at huge discount to keep or sell them on if it’s not their kind of thing.

I find it highly doubtful that they are brazenly breaking the law.

really, companies brazenly break laws Tesco, Costco and Superdrug, were fined for not paying NMW 6.7 million £ over 95000 employees covering 139 companies

It’s not a uniform though if it’s normal clothing. Tax allowances only come in if you have to wear logo’d or protective workwear. And unless it’s changed recently it’s £45 per year for laundry - if you’re a 20% taxpayer that works out at £9 per year

I worked in Next years ago (part time summer job) and that was the rule then too. They were more lenient because I was working a lot more than my contracted hours (so didn't have enough uniform allowance to cover outfits for each day I was working) and they knew I was only there for a few months too. I got away with a few tops that I wore with plain black/navy trousers (that I already had).

I'd speak to your manager and see if there's any leeway. And definitely sell on anything you do have to buy, which might actually make you a little bit extra, although I appreciate it doesn't solve the immediate problem.

It's excessive if you're on a low wage, part-contract with a child to support.

It’s always been the case and I would love for this to be challenged in employment court . This is basically making you pay for a uniform bill hole taxing you on it twice !!

In all my years I have never ever noticed what the shop people wear when working, wow.

I worked in a clothing store mid 90s and this was the norm then too

How bloody helpful - we’re facing a cost of living crisis - £20 quid a month is LOADS to some people.

get out of suburbia and open your eyes!!!

@DenholmElliot1 😂are you serious?? £80 is most definitely a lot to some people. Given that there are plenty who may have to choose between heating and eating.

I dont update my wardrobe every three months A, i cant afford to and B, nobody expects me too i always look smart but casual none of my family update their wardrobe every three months like this lady i wear my clothes till they wear out. were not millionares if i were the queen and had her money probably. I think if she looks smart but casual whats wrong with that if her boss wants her to change her wardrobe every 3 months he should foot the bill .

I used to work for Fat Face and from memory their uniform situation was the same - something like a 75% discount and we were expected to buy new season stuff every few months.

I found it pretty ludicrous and thought there should have been a uniform allowance if they wanted to force us to wear this stuff. But their rationale was that they only wanted to hire people who were mad passionate about the brand and who would be thrilled to get such a "generous discount" on clothes we would surely buy anyway...

In our store, we did protest against this and managed to get approved to wear out of season stuff, as long as it was either still available for customers to purchase or there was a similar alternative, or it was a basic, like a white tshirt, etc.

It could be worth asking, but if you don't want to rock the boat, then I think it's likely you'll have to keep paying for the new clothes, then try to sell them on ebay at the end of each season.

If they expect you too look like models tell them you want a pay rise in line with a models wages theyll soon shut up .

I just can’t believe some Mums on here.

If someone says £80 every 3 months then it’s a lot to them.
£80 for me would be a lot too.
I do wonder why some are so tactless.
Oh £80 is not a lot for me.

Good for you but some of us are in the real world with children to feed, dress, treat and heat.
It’s a hard read sometimes on this site.