Objective
Employee appearance contributes to [Company Name]’s culture and reputation. Employees are expected to present themselves in a professional manner that results in a favorable impression by clients and customers.
Who does this policy apply to?
The [company name] dress code policy applies to [which positions this applies to].
Procedures
[Company Name] department managers may exercise reasonable discretion to determine appropriateness in employee dress and appearance. Employees who do not meet a professional standard may be sent home to change, and nonexempt employees will not be paid for that time. Reasonable accommodations will be made where required.Business professional attire
Traditional business attire is expected of all employees. Basic elements for appropriate and professional business attire include clothing that is in neat and clean condition.
Appropriate workplace dress does not include clothing that is too tight or revealing; clothing with rips, tears or frays; or any extreme style or fashion in dress, footwear, accessories, fragrances or hair. Employees are expected to demonstrate good judgment and professional taste. Use courtesy towards coworkers and your professional image to customers as the factors you use to assess whether you are dressing in business attire that is appropriate.
An employee who is unsure of what is appropriate should check with his or her manager or supervisor.
Any staff member who does not meet the attire or grooming standards set by his or her department will be subject to corrective action and may be asked to leave the premises to change clothing. Hourly paid staff members will not be compensated for any work time missed because of failure to comply with designated workplace attire and grooming standards.
The following guidelines apply to business attire:
- For men, business attire includes a long-sleeved dress shirt, tie, and tailored sport coat worn with dress trousers (not khakis) and dress shoes.
- For women, business attire includes tailored pantsuits, businesslike dresses, coordinated dressy separates worn with or without a blazer, and conservative, closed-toe shoes.
Business casual attire
Business casual dress will be permitted on (day of week). When meeting clients, business professional dress guidelines must be observed, unless the client has specifically requested other than formal business attire. This includes covering any visible tattoos and having excessive piercings.
Under the casual dress code policy, business casual dress is defined as follows:
- Casual shirts: All shirts with collars, business casual crew-neck or V-neck shirts, button-down shirts, sweaters, jackets, blouses, and golf and polo shirts. Examples of inappropriate shirts include T-shirts, shirts with inappropriate slogans, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, muscle shirts, camouflage and crop tops.
- Pants: Casual slacks and trousers and jeans without holes, frays, etc. Examples of inappropriate pants include shorts, camouflage, and pants worn below the waist or hip line.
- Footwear: Casual slip-on or tie shoes, dress sandals, and clean athletic shoes. Examples of inappropriate footwear include flip-flops and construction or hunting boots.
Specific requirements
Certain staff members may be required to meet special dress, grooming and hygiene standards, such as wearing uniforms or protective clothing, depending on the nature of their job. Uniforms and protective clothing may be required for certain positions and will be provided to employees by [Company Name].
Inclement Weather
At the discretion of the department head, in special circumstances, such as during unusually hot or cold weather or during special occasions, staff members may be permitted to dress in a more casual fashion than is normally required. On these occasions, staff members are still expected to present a neat appearance and are not permitted to wear ripped, frayed or disheveled clothing or athletic wear. Likewise, tight, revealing or otherwise workplace-inappropriate dress is not permitted
[Company Name] has a traditional business attire dress code. However, during the summer months, starting the week in which Memorial Day is observed and ending the week in which Labor Day is observed, the company has established a summer dress code that employees may observe on days when they have no in-person client contact.
The following list is a guideline of appropriate and inappropriate attire under the summer dress policy. These are examples only. Managers or supervisors may determine if an employee is dressed inappropriately for the workplace within the summer dress policy.
Appropriate summer dress
- T-shirts (no graphics).
- Polo Shirts.
- Khakis.
- Denim jeans.
- Capri pants.
- Company logo wear.
- Dresses or skirts (knee length).
- Dressy sandals.
- Casual shoes including clean athletic shoes.
Inappropriate summer dress
- Shorts.
- Logo clothing (sport teams, cartoon characters, etc.) other than company logo.
- Flip-flops.
- Sleeveless tops, halter tops or tank tops.
- Sweatpants.
- Leggings.
- Tight, revealing or otherwise inappropriate clothing.
- Athletic wear.
- Clothing that is ripped, frayed, stained or messy.
All employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their gender identity and expression. Employees who report to work inappropriately attired will be asked to leave work to change clothes and will be required to use personal time or vacation time to do so.
Any questions regarding appropriate summer dress should be directed to Human Resources.
Reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs
[Company Name] recognizes the importance of individually held religious beliefs to persons within its workforce. [Company Name] will reasonably accommodate a staff member’s religious beliefs in terms of workplace attire unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship. Accommodation of religious beliefs in terms of attire may be difficult in light of safety issues for staff members. Those requesting a workplace attire accommodation based on religious beliefs should be referred to the human resources department.Addressing workplace attire and hygiene problems
Under the Company’s dress code policy, dress code violations can range from inappropriate clothing items to offensive perfumes and body odor. If a staff member comes to work in inappropriate dress, he or she will be required to go home, change into conforming attire or properly groom, and return to work.
If a staff member’s poor hygiene or use of too much perfume/cologne is an issue, the supervisor should discuss the problem with the staff member in private and should point out the specific areas to be corrected. If the problem persists, supervisors should follow the normal corrective action process, and could lead to termination.
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