Why Do Some Employers Require Women To Wear Skirts?
videogene asked:
In most states it is ok for employers to require women to wear a skirt or dress to work. So they order their secretaries, salewomen, nurses, and female public relation professionals to wear skirts to work. I would like to know what is the reasoning behind this is. A woman can look professional in a pants suit also. Yet women skirts gives the employer something else or different from the typical pants suit in the office. Still I would like to hear the reasoning behind this and someone who would agree with the employers right to do this, and why? Thank you.
Tags: Secretaries, Skirt, Skirts
February 6th, 2009 at 6:59 am
To me, that is ridiculous. Unless the employer provides the uniform, I cannot agree that they SHOULD have the right to demand women wear skirts or dresses.
I work for an extremely conservative organisation and wear pant suits to work almost every day.
I look, and feel, entirely professional and have never had a complaint.
If my employer told me to wear a skirt, I would wonder what their motivation was.
Ridiculous.
Cheers
February 7th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
It is not ok…at kleast in the UK it is illegal and you can sue your employer for that…a woman did it because her boss at a golf company tried to make her wear one…nurse wear trousers here too…so they can run if they need to….are you sure it’s legal in the US? I wouldn’t bet on it.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Are you completely sure that it is legal to require skirts on women? I know that a company can require a dress code, as in suit and tie, sport coat, no open toes heels, no jeans, no tee shirts with names on them, etc. but skirts, I don’t think so.
I have worked for some very conservative companies, and they required professional dress, but not skirts. I don’t think they can legally require a woman to wear dresses and skirts….I would really check this out. Your Human Resources person should be able to answer this for you.
In my opinion, I would never work for a company that required me to wear skirts only. Way too sexist!
February 14th, 2009 at 1:51 am
To answer your question, they are either very old fashioned or the boss is a dirty old man.
A firm I worked for in the UK (accounting) was very old-fashioned - we had tea-ladies instead of vending machines. They required women to wear skirts and then amended it so that they could wear trouser-suits. They had to explain to one or two women that trouser-suit does NOT mean jeans and t-shirt!
I have never had a problem with women being able to wear trouser-suits. In parts of the UK there is a large Hindu population. I worked with someone who was strict enough to be unable to wear skirts. She chose trouser-suits instead of a saree so that she fitted in. That way, she looked professional without disrespecting her religion. Nice touch, in my view.
To sum up, men are frequently required to wear suit and tie (I am). If women wish to do the same jobs, they should meet the same dress code. I do not care if that means a smart top and skirt or a trouser-suit. It’s their choice.
February 17th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Because they are perves and thier wifes/girlfriends don’t wear skirts ever, or they are most likely, single and just want to see a woman’s leg.
February 18th, 2009 at 5:22 am
I give you the honest answer. You are hearing mostly complaints when you are trying to find the drive behind it. Yes some states require women to wear skirts or dresses to work. All states will permit an employer to require a skirt or dress if it is a uniform or a costume. Some states have the law written this was. “Employers can not prohibit the wearing of pants based on sex” (uniforms and costumes exempt from this law) . Which means, they could require skirts to be worn, if the men of the organization had too were them also.
There is a female Judge in one court room on the east coast, that requires all female officers (except law enforment) working in her court to wear a skirt or dress work. One of the Legal bars won’t even accept women unless they come for the test dress in a profession skirt or dress. No brains about it. Dress and Skirts are exclusively for women. It set a certain image for the woman when she wear a skirt. The employers is paying the bills and if he or SHE wants her employees to project a certain feminine image, they have that right in those places where the government has not interfered. A far a law suits are concerned it only valid if the employer is breaking state law , or if she require skirts and dressed to be worn in a place that subjects a woman to danger like a construction site. Of course we are talking about office and public relations jobs mostly here anyway.