Post by annaj26 on Jan 30, 2017 14:35:38 GMT -5
Britain Debates High Heels — Can Employers Require Them?
A British woman who refused an employer's demand that she wear high heels has ignited a national debate over discrimination — not to mention a government inquiry and a demand that the prime minister herself kick off her heels as an example.
Nicola Thorp arrived for work at an agency that supplied temporary receptionists to other companies in December 2015, according to a parliamentary report issued this week.
She was wearing dressy flats but was told that the agency, Portico, required women to wear two- to four-inch heels. Thorp could go out and buy some, she was told. She refused and was sent home without pay.
But that was just the beginning of the story.
In May, Thorp, who did not respond to NBC News' requests for an interview, started a petition to make it illegal for companies to require women to wear heels. Six months later, later the petition had 152,420 signatures.
The parliamentary inquiry was triggered — its report was issued this week. And it found that the problem went beyond high heels.
"We heard from women who had been required to dye their hair blond, to wear revealing outfits, and to constantly reapply makeup," the report said.
Women are weighing in on social media, where the topic #dresscode trended on Twitter.
(see link for tweet contents)
It turned out Thorp — who is 28 — was wrong about one thing, though. It was already illegal for employers to discriminate in clothing requirements based on gender — and had been since 2010, Maria Miller, the head of the Women and Equalities Select Committee in the British parliament, told NBC News.
The trouble, Miller said, is that many employers are not aware of the law. And in any event, to get redress, an individual would have to bring a case against her employer, something she might well be reluctant to do.
"Businesses need a wake-up call on this," Miller said. "I think it's really important that there are consequences."
Simon Pratt, the managing director of Portico, the agency for which Thorp worked, issued a statement this week saying the policy had been changed.
"Portico has always been committed to being an inclusive and equal opportunities employer so when this issue was raised last year we immediately updated our uniform guidance," Pratt said.
more
www.nbcnews.com/news/world/britain-debates-high-heels-can-employers-require-them-n712446
A British woman who refused an employer's demand that she wear high heels has ignited a national debate over discrimination — not to mention a government inquiry and a demand that the prime minister herself kick off her heels as an example.
Nicola Thorp arrived for work at an agency that supplied temporary receptionists to other companies in December 2015, according to a parliamentary report issued this week.
She was wearing dressy flats but was told that the agency, Portico, required women to wear two- to four-inch heels. Thorp could go out and buy some, she was told. She refused and was sent home without pay.
But that was just the beginning of the story.
In May, Thorp, who did not respond to NBC News' requests for an interview, started a petition to make it illegal for companies to require women to wear heels. Six months later, later the petition had 152,420 signatures.
The parliamentary inquiry was triggered — its report was issued this week. And it found that the problem went beyond high heels.
"We heard from women who had been required to dye their hair blond, to wear revealing outfits, and to constantly reapply makeup," the report said.
Women are weighing in on social media, where the topic #dresscode trended on Twitter.
(see link for tweet contents)
It turned out Thorp — who is 28 — was wrong about one thing, though. It was already illegal for employers to discriminate in clothing requirements based on gender — and had been since 2010, Maria Miller, the head of the Women and Equalities Select Committee in the British parliament, told NBC News.
The trouble, Miller said, is that many employers are not aware of the law. And in any event, to get redress, an individual would have to bring a case against her employer, something she might well be reluctant to do.
"Businesses need a wake-up call on this," Miller said. "I think it's really important that there are consequences."
Simon Pratt, the managing director of Portico, the agency for which Thorp worked, issued a statement this week saying the policy had been changed.
"Portico has always been committed to being an inclusive and equal opportunities employer so when this issue was raised last year we immediately updated our uniform guidance," Pratt said.
more
www.nbcnews.com/news/world/britain-debates-high-heels-can-employers-require-them-n712446
Omega
The only job I can think of that might have that as a job requirement here is night club hostess or Play Boy Bunny or something else that involves costuming. 
