Walmart Employees Upset Over New "Dress Code"

Some Walmart (WMT) employees are not happy about a new mandatory “dress code” or the fact that workers have to pay for clothes to comply with that dress code out of their own pockets.

The “new look” calls for employees to wear a navy blue or a white polo shirt and khaki or black pants or skirts. It also requires the return of the Walmart vest, but the company will pay for that.

This may seem like a contradiction in beliefs because I have stated before that I believe the "living wage" is now an unattainable myth. However, this article just immediately made me think that this is yet further proof of the "entitlement generation" existing. Also, I thought Walmart employees already wore blue shirts and khakis.

I remember every waitressing job AND Sears requiring me to provide my own black pants, white shirts, and black shoes -- BEFORE I could even begin my first day of earning any money. I will admit that them allowing employees a whole 10% discount to purchase the clothes from a Walmart store is pretty crappy of them. They should provide employees a larger discount, but that's another issue.

Anyway, yes, spending $50 on clothes for work may be stretching the budget for many of them, but there are many, many, many places out there that require this same thing. Any office job (including the receptionist making $9/hr) has a much more expensive "dress code". I don't think this is an issue that people should be complaining about -- and it definitely shouldn't be news.

What say you, ATS?

Walmart Workers Unhappy....

a reply to: halfpint0701

20 years ago, I worked at Sears selling electronics for $6 an hour. I had to were a suit and tie!

What's the big deal?

a reply to: halfpint0701

Can they claim expenses like work uniforms back on taxes? Surely they can!

If so, what's the big deal, I spend nearly $200 just on steel capped boots every year!

a reply to: halfpint0701

That is one of the reasons why I have always been picky about any job I have held. And all did pay quite well.

My "Uniform" was blue jeans and a shirt and boots. Though occasionally I did dress up just to freak out my co-workers.


Just a ETA: For quite a while my "Uniform" was actually a camo uniform. and yes, we were required to wear it.

What's the big deal?

Way back when, I had to buy my own attire that the company called for
Didn't expect it any other way

Now we are self-employed, I still buy my own 'attire' [517 Levi's]..LOL

People now a days want everything furnished for them

a reply to: halfpint0701

I'm low on patience tonight.

What I'm hearing is that because you were exploited by past employers, everyone else should suffer so.

That's bass ackwards. Personal suffering should lead to compassion for others in similar circumstances - not enjoyment at another's similiar suffering.

I hear this all too often on ATS - it happened to me, look how I turned out - everybody should pay their dues to be special like me. Screw them if they object.

I worked at Walmart a few years back for a short period of about two years. While I was there this dress code came into affect. We had 30 days to comply. All shifts. I worked 3rd stocking and we were allowed to wear jeans if we wished but the blue shirt was required. We were all given one shirt and a discount on the pants/other shirts.

There were one or two that were known they could not really afford it. They were taken aside and given what they needed in the time frame.

I'm with you OP. I have worked in numerous places where I was told what I needed to buy before my first day. If I didn't have it... Don't show up. It is what it is. The entitlement generation has gone off the rails.

Khaki pants are the most disgusting things ever invented. Holy frak, they are ugly. I say form an independent collective union and strike until every pair of khaki pants ever produced are burned into non existence.

There are no place for them in society.

a reply to: seeker1963

How many restaurants require waitresses making $2.13/hr to have the right shoes, pants, and tops before they can start work?

How many jobs require $150 steel-toed boots before you can start?

Those people aren't high-paid execs rolling in money to shell out before they can even work.

I don't understand why this is suddenly an issue just because it's Walmart. Sears pays just as crappy and expects the same thing from their employees, with the addition of only allowing certain colors and styles of shoes, too!

originally posted by: 4003fireglo
Khaki pants are the most disgusting things ever invented. Holy frak, they are ugly. I say form an independent collective union and strike until every pair of khaki pants ever produced are burned into non existence.

There are no place for them in society.

Oh c'mon. Khaki pants are as versatile as blue jeans.

Pretty much everything goes with them. From piercings and tats to a coat and tie.

Of course I'm no fashionista.

The big deal is the military NWO ordered uniform look. People are FREE and also being forced to work as slaves, crimes against all souls.

a reply to: FyreByrd

My point is not because it happened back then...my point is that many stores, restaurants, job fields require you to comply with certain dress code standards that can be even more expensive in some cases. Why is it news just because Walmart is implementing it?

a reply to: AlphaHawk

You need to get a better pair if they cost you 200 a year. I have had the same two pair of Whites most of my labor life, they have a life time warranty and so do Justin's.

a reply to: TDawgRex

NOTHING goes well with khaki pants.
I would not sprinkle them with ants.
I would not wear them to a dance.
I would not wear them during ats rants.
I do not like them, mister anti fancy pants.

I worked for twelve years as an auto mechanic. In that line of work most techs don't really earn a great deal of money but are expected to have a complete set of tools to perform the job. It is quite common for a mechanic to keep 15 to 30 thousand dollars worth of tools of their own cost, on the job to do their job.

That's one of the reasons I got out of that line of work. Just could not justify that kind of expenditure to make 13 bucks an hour.

So, basically, they have to buy pants? Cry me a river!

originally posted by: Unity_99
The big deal is the military NWO ordered uniform look. People are FREE and also being forced to work as slaves, crimes against all souls.

Or they could just want the employees to look like employees so when customers need help, they aren't asking all of the other customers in hopes that one of them might be an employee...



But yeah... I always hated uniforms. For lots of reasons.

a reply to: halfpint0701

Yeah my father told me how he walked fives miles to school in knee deep snow. Imagine having to wear $3500 Joseph Abboud suits to work to fit in? LOL

My wife works for Walmart (just had her 20th aniversary with them).

This "dress code" is OLD news. They've had a "dress" code for a LONG time now (many years).

Where have you all been?

They just recently changed it to add the black pants part. It was only kaki pants allowed.

And yes, they've always had to buy their own "uniforms"

This is just now being griped about????

a reply to: AlphaHawk

I hear you there! My hubby builds wind turbines, and he (and his crew) go through steel toe boots like crazy!

I will look into the Whites and Justins -- especially if they have lifetime warranties. He just went and bought his 3rd $150 pair since June. Thanks for the tip!

originally posted by: halfpint0701
a reply to: FyreByrd

My point is not because it happened back then...my point is that many stores, restaurants, job fields require you to comply with certain dress code standards that can be even more expensive in some cases. Why is it news just because Walmart is implementing it?

The thing is... This didn't just come down. I worked there at least 4/5 years ago (it may have actually been longer, but definitely not shorter) and they were making all stores comply. Some just chose to wait, while others did not. I have blue shirts with Walmart embroidered on them from that far back. I certainly didn't just order them because I felt awesome wearing them lol.

I don't understand why it's an issue just now either??!