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Question Details: My employer wants me to wear either black or white for work. I do not get a clothing allowance. Are they allowed to do this?
Filed under Employment Law | 1219 View(s)
Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley
It depends whether this rule was made before or after you started working there. If the rule was already there when you agreed to take the job, then your employer (or potential employer) would be entitled to stipulate a uniform in the agreement or in a policy mentioned in the agreement.
If this is a new rule brought in during the employment relationship, then the employer would be trying to add something new to the agreement. An employer cannot usually add things like this to your employment agreement without compensating you, for instance with a clothing allowance.
If it is a new rule, we suggest you first raise this with your employer. If the matter is not resolved you should take further legal advice and consider a personal grievance for unjustified disadvantage. Please note that you have 90 days after the action of your employer to raise a personal grievance.
For further information please see www.ers.govt.nz and www.communitylaw.org.nz.
Answered 5 Mar 2013. The IMPORTANT NOTICE below is part of this answer.
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