Today’s news review looks at the Government’s response to the recommendations on high heels and workplace dress codes.
Workplace dress codes
Today, Friday 21 April, the Women and Equalities Select Committee is publishing the Government’s response on the report, ‘High heels and workplace dress codes’. The report called for the Government to take urgent action to improve the effectiveness of the Equality Act in preventing discrimination relating to dress at work. A recommendation from the report was that the Government introduce guidance and awareness campaigns to improve understanding of the law and workers’ rights, targeted at employers, workers and students.
The Government has accepted this recommendation and, during this summer, will produce guidance on raising awareness of the law on dress codes. The Women and Equalities Select Committee have welcomed this.
It is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of gender and while we cannot comment on individual cases, employers that set dress codes for their workforce should make sure they are proportionate, justifiable and not discriminatory.
A Government spokesperson said:
No employer should discriminate against workers on grounds of gender – it is unacceptable and is against the law. Dress codes must include equivalent requirements for both men and women.
To make the law clearer to employers and raise awareness among employees, the Government will be producing new guidance on workplace dress codes.