For many of us, dressing properly is part of work. Employers can require employees to dress a certain way or to buy certain items of clothing for work. That’s fair and most people have no objection to doing what it takes to make sure their appearance suits their job. But, if your job makes you buy a uniform, you may be legally entitled to reimbursement for your uniform-related expense.
In California, employers must reimburse employees for their uniforms, regardless of the employees’ salaries. A lawsuit was recently filed against Applebee’s for making its California employees buy jerseys and not reimbursing them. In many other states, the law is less strict than California, but employees are still entitled to reimbursement. For example, drive the employees’ salaries below the minimum wage (or other words, if you make minimum wage, your employer can not make you pay for your own uniform).
In these tough times, it is important to make sure your employer does not take advantage of you. If your employer required you to buy a uniform for work and did not reimburse you, your employment rights may have been violated. Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.