what work needs me to do

**The pink donkey** · 24th July 13, 10:06 PM

I know this has been discussed in here before however i will pose a ??? let me start at the beginning. i work in a call center for a fortune 50 company. lately we have been initiated with dress code memos. i have never worn my kilt to work. i have never broken dress code. heck I don't own sneakers, jeans, or, t-shirts. I went to HR and pleated my case she stopped listening right after the words i would like to wear kilts to work. she said NO and if you feel that strongly about it we need you to submit in writing your request and why you should be allowed. so i will ask any advice on what to include in the letter to try an sway the hard NO objection. i should mention our dress code is described as business casual. Monday threw Thursday and dress down on Friday, Saturday, and, Sunday.. no logos except company or company related or partner logos. and sports logos are aloud on dress down days only. however there are plenty of people that wear sneakers, jeans, logo shirts, flip flops, sweatpants, and, yoga pants. everyday and nothing is said to them i wear slacks loafers and polo shirts everyday even on Friday and Saturday. since day one. any advice would be appreciated.

**BCAC** · 25th July 13, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by The pink donkey

I know this has been discussed in here before however i will pose a ??? let me start at the beginning. i work in a call center for a fortune 50 company. lately we have been initiated with dress code memos. i have never worn my kilt to work. i have never broken dress code. heck I don't own sneakers, jeans, or, t-shirts. I went to HR and pleated my case she stopped listening right after the words i would like to wear kilts to work. she said NO and if you feel that strongly about it we need you to submit in writing your request and why you should be allowed. so i will ask any advice on what to include in the letter to try an sway the hard NO objection. i should mention our dress code is described as business casual. Monday threw Thursday and dress down on Friday, Saturday, and, Sunday.. no logos except company or company related or partner logos. and sports logos are aloud on dress down days only. however there are plenty of people that wear sneakers, jeans, logo shirts, flip flops, sweatpants, and, yoga pants. everyday and nothing is said to them i wear slacks loafers and polo shirts everyday even on Friday and Saturday. since day one. any advice would be appreciated.

The first question you must ask is:- "Is it worth fighting for?" Could you not come to work kilted and change clothes when you arrive?

If the answer to that first question is yes, then you have a battle on your hands.

Maybe in a few days (he's on a river trip atm) Ron (Riverkilt) will come in on this with some helpfull advice as he fought this once and won.

Good luck.

**Chas** · 25th July 13, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by BCAC

Could you not come to work kilted and change clothes when you arrive?

This is probably your best policy. I would think that wearing a shirt, tie and jacket would be the standard. The word would get round and hopefully you could have a meaningful dialogue with a supervisor.

But, the company rules are the company rules and if you want to work for them ...

**guardsman** · 25th July 13, 03:06 AM

You need to look atthe company equality policy and grievance and disputes policy for ways to address this . Should get your own way with a bit of research , good luck

**New World Czech** · 25th July 13, 05:23 AM

It appears that you already have violators of the dress code. I know you don't want to upset your coworkers and bring attention to their choices but it would seem that there would be no room for anyone to complain if you started wearing the kilt on Fridays and Saturdays. As this becomes an accepted norm for you then add a day with a change of clothes for good measure. Unless the code specifically states that men may not wear kilts then you can easily meet the code requirements any day of the week, unless they stretch the definition of a logo to a tartan (family logo?).

**Hopper250** · 25th July 13, 06:05 AM

I'm starting this question process with my own company. I also work in a call center for a Fortune 500 with nearly identical policy wording. The only thing so far for me was Fridays might be OK. Since Friday is casual. My suggestion is focus on the Casual Day. If you can get a Yes for casual wear, go for a suit every Friday while wearing it. They will notice and the boss, not the HR rep, will probably like like it.

**Tobus** · 25th July 13, 06:33 AM

If you've never worn a kilt to work before, why is the dress code policy suddenly making you want to fight for it?

I would be very careful with this. Kilts are fun to wear and all, but is it really worth jeopardizing your status at your job over? Even if they consent to it, there will still be a cloud hanging over you because you had to fight them for it, and they had to make special allowance for you. That kind of thing can be a negative for you. This is a workplace, which is not the proper venue for freedom of expression. With their dress code, they are attempting to establish a modicum of professionalism and remove wild clothing styles from the environment. Asking to wear a kilt would be seen as bucking the system and challenging their authority. Basically, working against them. Is that really what you want to do?

**Connaughton** · 25th July 13, 07:15 AM

I'm rolling with Tobus on this one.

And in the end I suspect that the answer is just going to be no, regardless of what you enter as your plea. I am also in a corporate environment. And while I will wear a kilt, that is on my time. A coworker also wears a kilt, a couple of folks here know that we wear a kilt. We will only discuss that in the most rare of circumstances when in the office. Sorry but this just the way that it is. In the end I like my work and my wife likes the paycheck. So I can live with it. Also consider, if you want to move up within the corporation. You cannot undo that perception once you go there.

So my opinion is say no more about it in the office. And when a different co-worker says something about it look at them quizically and ask what they are talking about. Because it never happened.

Now lets all practice safe kilting out there.

**Nathan** · 25th July 13, 07:21 AM

I have to echo Tobus on this. Is the juice really worth the squeeze? Kilts are not generally accepted business attire in most locales so you'll be swimming up stream. If you're seen as the type of person who is looking for a loophole in the policy you won't be viewed as a team player. You'll come across as someone who thinks he's special compared to his team mates. Even if you threaten legal action etc... and they acquiesce to avoid the hassle, you'll have a target on your back. My advice is to wear your kilt on your own time and respect the wishes of the company that signs your paycheque. You should also be grateful that they don't have you in a uniform like the folks who work at some restaurants etc...

Admittedly, I'm no lawyer and don't know the laws in Pennsylvania but I doubt you have a legitimate human rights grievance or legal case here. If they made allowances for other non-religious, cultural garments that fell outside the norms of Western business casual, you may have a case on the basis of fairness, but as it stands, I think you just might get yourself fired and they won't say it's over the kilt on your pink slip, they'll just watch you like a hawk and keep track of every error.

N

**New World Czech** · 25th July 13, 08:07 AM

Well I'm glad it is not me. I have never worked where the dress code was more than "wear appropriate clothes for the job at hand", except when I worked at a restaurant and convenience store. I've worked in the office for construction subcontractors where blue jean and even t-shirts are the norm and I typically kick it up a notch to khakis and collared button shirts. I dress in jeans when heading to the job site and would not wear my kilt there (ladders and kilts don't mix well). We have onsite fabrication and I would not were my kilt there (welders and kilts don't mix well). I have not worked in the corporate world, so I would have worn my kilt if it was not expressly prohibited in the dress code. If an objection was raised by management then I would respect that and not wear the kilt to the office again, although I would probably politely ask why.