Company Dress Code - I was sent home from work today.

[Sidewinder]

Tpuc.org Forum • View topic - Company Dress Code - I was sent home from work today.

 

Answers seem to be more to the OP's liking but seem to have missed the point

[honeybee13]

Right, I see thank you. Rather a different website, I'm thinking.

 

We seem to have lost our OP btw.

 

HB

[Bookworm]

OMG, it's the FOTL crowd again!

[honeybee13]

FOTL?

 

HB

[Bookworm]

Freeman Of The Land

[honeybee13]

Thank you Bookworm. I checked that out, and tpuc which there was a link to on here. Laudable objectives, I'm sure. Meanwhile, out here in the real world...

 

btw, our OP has taken his bat and ball and gone to play with people who will agree with him I imagine. He has deleted his first post overnight.

 

HB

[Bookworm]

Awww bless... Of course, if anyone can be bothered or bored enough to see what it was all about, his identical post is still on the wack... sorry, the FOTL site.

[kiptower]

strange for someone that deals with people people that have failed to obey the rules "law of the land" comes on here and wants people to justify him breaking the rules

 

double standards or what ?

[Insomniak]

The main point has been missed by alot of people here, we had a guy from HR down to our office the other week and as we share our office with another department, he said that a mutual agreement for the whole office needs to be put into place, now the other departments manager has refused to enforce this on his staff. This is what is really annoying me. On Wednesday when I was sent home there would have been others in the other department wearing jeans who were not even spoken to. The company rules apply to every member of staff, whats even better is that the majority of the ones who wear jeans are the ones who actually meet offenders face to face and so are more of front line for Probation, whereas I only work in the back office out of public view and my only dealings with them is over the telephone.

 

Therefore I am not worried about losing my job as I can prove 100% that others have been treated differently to myself, so any dismissal would be deemed unfair on these grounds.

[honeybee13]

Hello, I thought you'd left us because you thought we were a waste of time?

 

If you feel that your treatment is unequal, then you could file a grievance for this. And then go for unfair dismissal, as you say.

 

HB

[madari]

xx

Edited June 25, 2010 by madari

[Sidewinder]

The main point has been missed by alot of people here, we had a guy from HR down to our office the other week and as we share our office with another department, he said that a mutual agreement for the whole office needs to be put into place, now the other departments manager has refused to enforce this on his staff. This is what is really annoying me. On Wednesday when I was sent home there would have been others in the other department wearing jeans who were not even spoken to. The company rules apply to every member of staff, whats even better is that the majority of the ones who wear jeans are the ones who actually meet offenders face to face and so are more of front line for Probation, whereas I only work in the back office out of public view and my only dealings with them is over the telephone.

 

Sadly, I think that you also have missed the point. It matters not a jot that others have not complied with the (seemingly very reasonable) request, the fact is that you disobeyed, however justified you may have felt, a reasonable request, after being warned that the employer intended to reinforce the dress code and improve the professional image of the workforce. It is for others to be dealt with over their non-compliance, and as repeatedly stated, you should have raised a grievance, not taken unilateral action. You are annoyed at the actions of a department manager who is not actually in charge of your office - deal with it properly!

The fact is that you made no attempt to do what you were asked, ignored the request anyway and justified your actions by comparing them to other people. The fact that frontline staff should be made to wear smarter clothes and do not is also completely irrelevant - the request was made of you. What you are saying is that the employer's policy is wrong and should not apply to you. Unfortunately you don't make the rules, you are there to do what is reasonably required of you - if you don't agree then raise a grievance!

 

Therefore I am not worried about losing my job as I can prove 100% that others have been treated differently to myself, so any dismissal would be deemed unfair on these grounds.

 

You may not be worried, although it would be nice if everybody found it so easy to walk in and out of employment at will. I wish you the Best of British with an Unfair Dismissal case - you would not even get the claim accepted unless you can prove that the actions of the employer are aimed at you specifically due to your being gay, female, of a certain age, religion or disabled. The request was made of the whole workforce irrespective of any potentially discriminatory factors - whether you try to claim Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal or Wrongful Dismissal, the employer is almost certain to win on the grounds that he made a reasonable request -you were singled out as an example and sent home as you had been warned personally and had done nothing about it. I fear that you would be made a laughing stock, not least as one of the first things to be taken into consideration would be whether you exhausted the employer's grievance process - er, no. I just did what I wanted and was sent home but wasn't too bothered as at least I got to watch the football!

Try walking into another job as easily as you seem intent on throwing this one away - particularly with a reference which flags you as a potential troublemaker with a penchant for working against the employer rather than for him...

..

[Insomniak]

LOL,

 

I've just read in the paper about a guy getting £10k for unfair dismissal, and he had told his boss to F*** Off.

 

It was given as unfair dismissal as others had done similar and had been treated less harshly.

 

That was in the building trade, probably a private firm. I work for a public service who the press love to get any dirt on.

 

I think they would settle out of court for around £50k with a confidentiality clause.

[Helford]

I cannot believe that I am reading this rubbish!

 

Get a life!

[loopinlouie]

Just get yourself a pair of cheap trousers, please.........remember you can allways resign if you disagree so vigarously with your employer.

 

Common sence;)will keep you employed, bad attitude wont:p

[honeybee13]

Insomniak, what did the guys on the other website think, out of interest? Do they all think you're doing the right thing?

 

HB

[Bookworm]

I think they would settle out of court for around £50k with a confidentiality clause.

Ahhhhh, NOW we're getting to the bottom of it.

[Ell-enn]

Ahhhhh, NOW we're getting to the bottom of it.

 

Once again Bookie you're absolutely right!

[kiptower]

looks like it Bookie

[Insomniak]

Some do, but I am not here to ridicule peoples beliefs, I have only been a member of that forum for a few days and there are some "clued up" people there the same as there is on here.

 

I am sure there are people on here who believe in psychics, ghosts and various gods and religions. They too can be ridiculed on their beliefs.

 

I have seen evidence of people putting the Police and Courts in their place, the same way people on here put Banks in their place.

 

A few years ago people would have laughed if I'd started a forum and said I am going to ask my bank to repay all the charges I've paid and also charge them interest on that lost money.

 

At the end of the day, its only legislation and "their rules" and when challenged in the right way suddenly things change and they are not so powerful anymore.

 

Anyway thank you all for your comments, I have taken them on board, I will be putting in a complaint or possibly a grievance if others continue to not be punished for the same behavior.

 

However I will not change my mentality one bit, I believe that if we give them an inch they will take a mile.

 

The first person who stood up against the banks did so because he believed it, now you have this forum as a result of how someone did not accept the status quo.

 

I now leave this thread in peace.

[Sidewinder]

LOL,

 

I've just read in the paper about a guy getting £10k for unfair dismissal, and he had told his boss to F*** Off.

 

Then I respectfully suggest that you try the same, in words this time, for you have already done so in deed and are still employed.

 

It was given as unfair dismissal as others had done similar and had been treated less harshly.

 

But you got to watch the football and your colleagues didn't

 

That was in the building trade, probably a private firm. I work for a public service who the press love to get any dirt on.

 

And who would have a field day at 'Greedy Public Servant Sues for Not Being Allowed To Wear Jeans' I think that would top the public outrage over the case of the RAF Typist awarded compensation for a thumb injury.

 

I think they would settle out of court for around £50k with a confidentiality clause.

 

Make them an offer then...

..

[Insomniak]

No, no, no, I would have some lovely stories to tell the press on what really happens within the service and just how "justice" is done.

 

If the victims of some on these crimes felt hard done by when the offender was "only given community service" then imagine how they would feel that the person is actually not doing much service to the community at all.

 

Just one question do you consider visible tattoos as "professional image" and do consider flip flops "professional image" ??

[rebel11]

Insomniak

 

There is also something else you could try, Hypnotherapy,

[Bookworm]

Some of the jobs I have had, tattoos and piercings must be covered, but it was specifically added to the dress code in the book. Flip-flops, I have no idea in an office, in a food outlet, they would be banned on health and safety ground.

[Sidewinder]

Visible tattoos are somewhat harder to change than jeans for trousers, however it would not be unreasonable to cover them where possible, and flip flops should be banned in every workplace on H&S grounds alone, but that isn't the issue here, for whilst they may be acceptable or unacceptable in the eyes of the employer, it isn't for you to decide, however you do have a right to complain.

 

Interestingly I also have similar views on employee confidentiality and it is worrying to note that you seem to have the same cavalier attitude towards this part of your contract as you do to an acceptable dress policy. The same advice applies - if you don't agree with what offenders get away with, then blow the whistle - but through proper channels (where you would be afforded protection from punishment or harassment - rather than to the press for personal gain!