Kind of unfair that I'm not allowed to wear my coat...

[LillFilly]

Not to mention an employee who has only been with the company for a month was made lead officer at a new site, when I've been there a year and have expressed interest in moving up....

It's fallen into the 30's lately. I bought wonderful warm as heck long wool coat. I have to be into work with the sun, and it's frosty, so I wear my coat in, clock in, and then wear my work coat. The same when I leave for the day. That way, I also don't get asked in stores after work 'do you work here?'

My boss took me aside and asked if I would mind not wearing the coat to work because it just 'doesn't look professional' and he wants us to be in uniform at all times while on the property. I pointed out that if I'm off the clock, but look like I'm still working, and am doing something like using my phone, it would look like I'm goofing off. He ignored this and just told me not to wear the coat anymore. Nevermind he wears his personal coat to and from work. Our work coats just aren't very warm.

This is my coat.



I guess my boss was rooting for the confederacy, huh?

[Bright_Star]

That's got a 60's vibe to it...the 1860's....lol.

[Headset Hellion]

I don't think your boss can dictate what kind of coat you wear off the clock. Sure, there might be a policy about not wearing "offensive" attire while on company property, but I doubt that covers his dislike of your personal style!

[Jay 2K Winger]

If you're not on the clock, he has no right to tell you what to do or what to wear.

Regardless of whether you're on the property or not.

[AccountingDrone]

I love that coat, where did you get it? Does it come in beached whale sizes? I think that would be really nice and toasty in a wheelchair.

[Marmalady]

That is one gorgeous coat!

And I agree with the others - while you're not on the clock, he has no say in what you wear. If he tries anything, ask to see the part of your contract that says he can dictate that.

[Grendus]

You have two options. You can give in and wear a different coat/no coat, or you can tell the boss that what you do when you aren't clocked in is none of his business and keep wearing the coat. If you take the second option, be sure to document what he said and when he said it. Odds are nothing will come of it, but if things start going downhill afterwards the documentation will serve you well.

[Peppergirl]

Your boss is a hypocrite and a dickhead.

Is that your work coat or personal coat?

[Food Lady]

I'm with Grendus. Off the clock=do not tell me what to do. Period.

[sms001]

Two word response to boss: "I'm cold."

Totally in agreement here, what you wear to get to and from work, barring the truly outrageous/unprofessional, is not anyone's business but your own, and Lill's counter argument is in fact quite valid.

[LillFilly]

That's my personal coat.

Our year-round uniform is short-sleeved shirts. At this post, he wants uniform consistency, so no wearing long sleeved shirts under the short sleeves, even if we match the color. Last winter was SO COLD and now I have to do more outside patrolling this year; up to 2-hrs outside in all-weather. I'll be sewing myself a white fleece t-shirt to stay warm! The work issued coats just aren't that warm, and the 'rain coats' are laughable!

I just stopped wearing my coat. Meh.

[Moirae]

Off the clock... why is it his business what you're wearing? Just tell him you're cold. I wore my coat the last three days at work, and I changed from our normal polo shirt and wore a nice sweater. In consecutive order for the last three days, it was 39 degrees, 32 degrees, and 32 degrees when I woke up. There was no WAY, I was going to wear a t-shirt and no coat all day. If my owner didn't like it, then that's just too bad. I'm not going to freeze just because he's an idiot.

You have the right to stay warm.

[wolfie]

You're off the clock, so (within reason - but since your coat isn't printed with anti-employer slogans it's reasonable) your employer shouldn't have any say in what you wear.

Uniform requires you to wear short sleeves in this weather? I'd be inclined to check with OHSA (or whatever the equivalent in your jurisdiction is called) about safe working conditions vis-a-vis temperature. For someone whose job involves working outside, appropriate personal protective equipment includes warm clothes.

[cashierbex]

Ok, even in Florida, they would let is wear long sleeves under the t-shirts if we didn't order ourselves the long sleeve shirt. Jackets can't be worn when actually working (if we go outside or off the clock, that is different). The weather we have right now is freezing for people (a very chilling 70 degrees ).

[Peppergirl]

^^ It got down to 32 here the other night and the front page of the paper was screaming about frost warnings. People were bundled up in hats and ski-looking gear. It was hilarious.

Hell, I was out early Friday morning when it was about 50, and people were wearing full-on coats.