According to the Associated Press on the 18th, Starbucks employees filed a lawsuit claiming that the company did not compensate for clothing expenses due to changes in dress codes.
Class action suits have already been filed in courts in Illinois and Colorado, and complaints have been filed with the state Labor and Employment Development Agency in California. If sanctions are not imposed, employees plan to file additional lawsuits. Starbucks has implemented a new dress code for all North American store employees since May 12. It said the purpose is to provide consistency in customer experience and clear guidelines.
Under the new rules, employees are allowed to wear plain black shirts, bottoms are not patterned, and only khaki, black, and blue denim pants are allowed. Black dresses should not rise more than 10 cm above the knees, and shoes are limited to waterproof materials in six colors (black, gray, navy, brown, tan, and white). Face tattoos, tongue piercings, and excessive makeup are also prohibited. A college student working at a Davis, California, store said, “I spent $147 on shoes and clothing to meet the regulations.” He criticized, “It is irresponsible for a company not to compensate for any expenses even though the salary is tight.” An employee of the Aurora store in Illinois said that the company charged the company for the piercings but was rejected. The plaintiff claimed that the cost was passed on to the employee even though the dress code was for the benefit of the company, claiming that it was a violation of state law.
In particular, the Colorado lawsuit states that “employers cannot force employees to bear costs without their written consent.” The plaintiff is seeking damages from all Starbucks employees in the state. Starbucks declined to directly comment on the lawsuit, but said it provided its employees with two free black shirts to prepare for changes in regulations, according to the Associated Press.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
