Do you supply or make employees buy their uniform?

[APC Nexday Overnite Ltd]

Hello,
We're a courier company
we have:
8 COURIER DRIVERS
2 "NIGHTMEN"
AND 2 OFFICE STAFF
upon joining this company everybody gets issued with a standard uniform one of each items.
A too regular thing I'm being moaned at now is
"I need a new..."
"I've ripped my .... and i need a new..."
"this is now too small for me"
This has faded i need a new one"


Should I as an employer have to supply my employees with relevant uniform or should they buy the extra they need?

 

[biomed86]

I think you should supply, but perhaps have a limit on how many say tshirts you give out in a set period? I know in some retail stores the workers get a percentage off the price of buying some items in the store to wear as uniform.

 

[CKG]

I personally just issue staff a stack of kit at our expense. It's not all that expensive.

You could go all millitary and have a signed for kit issue.

When the staff come to leave they must re present their kit and pay for what they have lost or wrecked through neglect.

Though I suspect your average civvy employee would find that most unfair.

 

[yankee candleman]

Same here, we issue plain polo shirts in black and red and they get 2 each full time, 1 part time. I did have a smile when a person asked me to buy them another one as the one they were wearing was still damp.

 

[profitxchange]

I would suggest they are issued with kit and told it has an expected life - if they need to change thru damage/neglect they pay or make a contribution. Likewise when the leave they pay for what is not re useable. This must be part of their t's & c's so you can deduct from their final pay.

 

[Simon-M]

Try telling designers to wear a uniform If it was appropriate though I would pay for it.

 

[dynamic08]

What a bunch of tight wads.

I personally think all uniform should be paid for by the employer. Maybe state that all employees would dont stay at the company for say 3 months are expected to meet the costs out of their final wage packet but why should somebody pay for uniform to work for your company.

Afterall its your choice that they have to wear it in the first place.

Ok footwear is different.

 

[yankee candleman]

What a bunch of tight wads.

I personally think all uniform should be paid for by the employer. Maybe state that all employees would dont stay at the company for say 3 months are expected to meet the costs out of their final wage packet but why should somebody pay for uniform to work for your company.

Afterall its your choice that they have to wear it in the first place.

Ok footwear is different.

Why?

You have to buy your own school uniform. You buy your own suit if you are a salesman. You buy your own clothes if you are a tradesman and special clothing is needed for the job.

As long as the uniform does not have the company logo on I do not see why the employer should provide it. Places like New Look insist you wear their clothing and give you a discount but not give it free.

I give tops free and tell the staff no jeans.

They have to buy their own skirts/trousers.

I think that is fair.

 

[TotallySport]

Why?

You have to buy your own school uniform. You buy your own suit if you are a salesman. You buy your own clothes if you are a tradesman and special clothing is needed for the job.

As long as the uniform does not have the company logo on I do not see why the employer should provide it. Places like New Look insist you wear their clothing and give you a discount but not give it free.

I give tops free and tell the staff no jeans.

They have to buy their own skirts/trousers.

I think that is fair.

I agree, if it's logo'd up, or unusual then the company should pay, and possibly have a set policy to anything outside this, but if it's standard issue then get the staff to pay and confirm.

 

[Deleted member 3454]

My hubby works for an international courier company. When they rebranded last year each member of staff was issued with new uniform which included 3 pairs of trousers, 5 polo shirts, 2 sweatshirts, winter hat, summer hat, hi-viz jacket, winter coat, fleece. Uniform is replaced when worn out at company expense and safety shoes/boots are issued annually if required. My hubby doesn't wear his steel caps out every year and only ever gets new uniform/steel caps if he needs.

If a company wants staff to wear a uniform then a reasonable amount needs to be supplied - it's no good providing one shirt as most people will want to have a fresh one each day and not everyone has a tumble dryer.

It would really make my life easier if I did have a uniform for my job!

 

[Charlie B ACS]

I could barely do with 2 shirts, I wear a differnet shirt every day, 2 if it's hot and sticky weather, and I don't do washing every day, just when I have a machine load to do.

If you want logo'd clothing you have to provide enough, it's not like shirts/ Suits, where I can go to M&S to buy a spare or a new one.

 

[mookgirluk]

I would expect that a general dress code (such as black shoes, black trousers, white shirt for bar/waiting staff) would be up to the employee to organise and purchase. A uniform to an exact specification should be paid for, and supplied, by the company with reasonable allowances for wear/tear etc.

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Seems some people don't have to worry about it.

http://www.themaskedstrippers.co.uk/nakedcleaners.html

 

[Draugen]

I think it's fair that the employer provides the initial uniform free of charge, on the provisio that it is still the property of the company but the responsibility of the employee.

I don't charge my employees for their unform providing it's within reason. I provide them with an adequate number of polo shirts/aprons/hats when they start and when the time comes to replace any, if they return the worn out uniform I'm happy to provide a replacement. If they lose bits of the uniform however, I charge them for it, and charge a premium also to encourage them to be careful with it. This has definitely worked so far!

When first issued with uniform, I also have the staff sign a form agreeing to return the uniform at the end of their employment or face being charged for it. I have a very high staff turnover and find roughly 50% of former employees never return the uniform, if I didn't charge for the items that aren't returned it'd cost me roughly £5-10 per employee. It's not a lot, but it really adds up over time.

 

[Paramount Embroidery]

Once the logo is on the clothing it becomes 100% tax deductable. Food for thought.

 

[Fuzzy]

Employer should pay the costs

 

[Draugen]

Employer should pay the costs

I agree at the outset of the employment, but the employer shouldn't feel liable to replace the uniform whenever the employee dictates. Initial uniform costs and replacement on an appropriate timescale should be met by the employer, but the employee should be responsible for extra uniform required as a result of their mistreatment of it, or even if they need more because they can't be bothered to do a washing!

 

[Fuzzy]

I agree at the outset of the employment, but the employer shouldn't feel liable to replace the uniform whenever the employee dictates. Initial uniform costs and replacement on an appropriate timescale should be met by the employee, but the employee should be responsible for extra uniform required as a result of their mistreatment of it, or even if they need more because they can't be bothered to do a washing!

.........yup

 

[purplerecycling]

I don't think there is any problem with stipulating what should be worn as the expected standards and thats what you have to wear at your own cost.

You work in an office - do they supply you with your shirt/tie - skirt/blouse
You work in a shop - some provide you with logo stuff, but most shops you have to buy your own clothes
PPE is a different matter - which falls under the HSAWA. If you are asking someone to do a particular job that is potentially dangerous then you must provide them with suitable protection.

Other than that - the employee pays their own clothing costs - unless you want everyone to look EXACTLY the same.

 

[yankee candleman]

Seems some people don't have to worry about it.

http://www.themaskedstrippers.co.uk/nakedcleaners.html

Surely their choice of dress must be inspected before employment is offered?

 

[APC Nexday Overnite Ltd]

thanks for all your feedback.
A few problems I've had though (and I've replaced the relevant items)

A driver had a jacket (logo'd) with zip sleeves to make it into a vest.
the zips broke as he tried getting the sleaves back on and he wanted
our company to buy him a new one.

"i split my pants (unlogo'd) walking home" we replaced these.

"The three (logo'd) t shirts I have got stained with bleach. I need some new ones."

"the three (logo'd) t shirts I have (that used to fit!!!!) are now to small I need a size up".

I can't remember who it was who also said this but "tight wads"?. We're still classed as a small LTD company and so added UNNECCESSARY! expense is obviously something that we'd like to cut out. That doesn't mean we are "tight wads".