Work trying to force me to buy their scrunchies as part of my uniform

[TheStorm]

While at work I have to wear a hairnet at all times, next month the company wants to introduce new rules for long hair which to cut a long document short say that underneath the hairnet it must be worn in a ponytail with a scrunchie bought from their own shop.

Does anyone here know enough about UK regulations to know if they are allowed to do that?

I'm not an expert in such matters but I always thought that if you had to wear an exact specific item of clothing to work then they had to provide it and not be able to force you to buy it.

Thing is I have no objection to wearing the scrunchie but a scrunchie alone will not stay in my hair, it slides out in minutes. My hair is just about long enough for me to sit on, if I put it in a ponytail there is no way I'll ever get it all in a hairnet. And worst of all why should I be forced to buy a scrunchie from them when I have far better quality ones at home that were a heck of a lot cheaper than theirs.

Thanks.
(Sorry if thats a bit of a rant, just had a big argument/dissagreement at work over it)

[Quixii]

Huh. That does seem odd.
Would they let you braid it after the scrunchie, or double up with a scrunchie of yours and theirs?

[TheStorm]

I should be ok to braid it after the scrunchie but am not allowed anything to tie the braid off with, that would work for a while though. I tried braiding it without anything in the top and tying off the braid with the scrunchie but the scrunchie is way too big to stay there and just drops of the end straight away.
I wouldn't be allowed one of my own scrunchies at all.

[LittleOrca]

Here in the US I know that some places will provide you with part of the uniform and make you buy the other part yourself. Other places, like Target, have you buy your own clothes as long as it matches what you are supposed to be wearing. :shrug: I have no idea about the UK though

[eadwine]

Uhmm it is under a hairnet, right? Can't you put it up invisible-like and then simply toss the scrunchie under the net so it LOOKS like you are wearing it? ;)

[Rae~]

I don't know the rules in your area, but it seems fairly arbitrary for them to dictate what scrunchie to wear! Wow. Especially since it's basically invisible under your hairnet...no?

Very weird (to me).

[Cinnamon Hair]

If it were me I would put my hair up however I like under the hairnet, not mention or draw attention to the scrunchie issue at all, and hope no one notices and complains. What's the worst that could happen? They write you up for violation of the scrunchie code?

[Rainbow2911]

I would guess that the reason for this is something along the same lines as the blue plasters you have to wear - the scrunchies perhaps can be detected in products (am guessing from the hairnet that you work in manufacturing or packing). Perhaps a quiet word with HR about it not being suitable for your length or hair (after all your hair falling out of your hairnet would be worse) and finding a compromise. Maybe metal hairsticks?
Hope it isn't just abirtary silliness.

[Phalaenopsis]

What's the worst that could happen? They write you up for violation of the scrunchie code?

It would be so ridiculous if they did that. I wouldn't be able to stop laughing. :o

[JCFantasy23]

Beyond bizarre

[Ally<3]

If it were me I would put my hair up however I like under the hairnet, not mention or draw attention to the scrunchie issue at all, and hope no one notices and complains. What's the worst that could happen? They write you up for violation of the scrunchie code?

LOL


If they are forcing you to wear this scrunchie (so strange) they should provide you with it.

To be honest with you if it were me I'd put it in a bun with whatever I wanted and put the scrunchie over the top. I doubt they will be doing head inspections.... but they have a scrunchie code so you never know!

[Themyst]

If it were me I would put my hair up however I like under the hairnet, not mention or draw attention to the scrunchie issue at all, and hope no one notices and complains. What's the worst that could happen? They write you up for violation of the scrunchie code?

:rollin:You said it best!

[freckles]

LOL


If they are forcing you to wear this scrunchie (so strange) they should provide you with it.

To be honest with you if it were me I'd put it in a bun with whatever I wanted and put the scrunchie over the top. I doubt they will be doing head inspections.... but they have a scrunchie code so you never know!
This is what I would do. If they notice, you can discuss it with them. And if not, you'll never have to.

[Stormsong]

I would have said that unless you are working for a clothing retail store where it's only reasonable to expect you wear their clothing/accessories line when working on the shop floor, if they want you to wear a particular item that is only available via them, then it's uniform and they should be providing it (you may want to check what the current regulations are).

As for your wearing it personally, if it's not going to hold your hair up underneath the net, then I don't see why they should expect you to wear it. I'd explain why it won't work and see if you could come to an arrangement with them (they can't expect you to cut your hair, especially if you have a way of containing it under the net and still looking neat/presentable/professional.

[Mutinous]

I'm a bit confused as to where you would work that sells scrunchies yet requries a hair net! I thought hair nets were for food places?

It is allowed though. For example, my friend works at a shoe retailer and they have to wear that specific brand's own shoes when at work, which they have to buy (admittedly with a discount). You may have to sign something though.

[Runzel]

If they force the issue you could always sue them for long hair discrimination...:whistle:

[SimplyLonghair]

This does seem strange. Especially that they won't allow you to wear something along with the scrunchie to keep it up and functional.

I am confused as to if the not allowing your hair another type of accessory given that you have very long hair, is unreasonable.

I had to deal with similar issues when I did clinicals. The instructor thought that long hair looked bad and we had to gel and slick back our hair within an inch of it's life so that it would be "neat". The short hairs were able to wear their hair loose and free however. :bigeyes: It was very damaging.

It was her idea and not school policy, but in order to complete the class, it was necessary. She would just send you home if she didn't like you hair. :no:

No real advise, but I do feel your pain.

You might check with legal aid or what ever the equivalent in the UK to see if it is even legal though.

Good luck.

[TheStorm]

I don't know the rules in your area, but it seems fairly arbitrary for them to dictate what scrunchie to wear! Wow. Especially since it's basically invisible under your hairnet...no?

Very weird (to me).



I would guess that the reason for this is something along the same lines as the blue plasters you have to wear - the scrunchies perhaps can be detected in products (am guessing from the hairnet that you work in manufacturing or packing). Perhaps a quiet word with HR about it not being suitable for your length or hair (after all your hair falling out of your hairnet would be worse) and finding a compromise. Maybe metal hairsticks?
Hope it isn't just abirtary silliness.


It's because we are working with food and they want to put some sort of standard rule so that people don't wear things in their hair that might fall out into the food. Very much along the same lines as a blue plasters, although the scrunchies are not metal detectable they are big and bright enough to be seen if they fall into any product. I have a metal hairstick which I wear at the moment, well it's a stainless steel bolt that I have ground the threads off, I've worn my hair in either a braid or braided bun and that hairstick for 10 years and it has never been a problem until now. I think it is just someone in an office that wants to make their mark, my first job when I strat back next week will be to figure out who's responsible for it and talk to them.


I'm a bit confused as to where you would work that sells scrunchies yet requries a hair net! I thought hair nets were for food places?

It is allowed though. For example, my friend works at a shoe retailer and they have to wear that specific brand's own shoes when at work, which they have to buy (admittedly with a discount). You may have to sign something though.


We manufacture food and don't sell scrunchies in our general shops, they have bought the scrunchies to sell in our factory shop for employees with long hair to buy.

[Merlin]

1) What does your contract of employment say? Does it say anything about this? Are you required to purchase uniform as part of your terms and conditions?
2) You could ask the CRB about it, they are pretty clued up about employment law

BUT

3) Is it really worth making a big deal out of this? Sure you could make a fuss over it if you want but at the end of the day unless it's going to cost you an arm and a leg you may as well just buy one to avoid the alarm and despondency making a fuss is going to cause. If you want to pursue this one then for heaven's sake make sure that they are clearly in the wrong (and for that you want somebody who understands UK employment law - not us) and you make damn sure you're in the relevant trade union and that they'll back you.

[Sheltie_Momma]

I wouldn't make a big fuss about it honestly. Someone probably thought it was a great idea and that person probably had no clue about longer hair. Assuming it isn't an astronomical sum, I would just buy a couple and then modify them to meet your needs by sewing in some Amish pins along the perimiter or replacing the elastic inside the scrunchie with a longer piece of ribbon that matches your hair color, leaving then ends open, then you can tighten or tie around your bun or braid and no one will probably ever notice it under your net.

[Madame J]

I know that at retail stores in the US, they can require that you wear that company's clothing to work. For students who work at higher-end retailers like J. Crew or Guess, that can eat up a lot of money, before you even get a paycheck. I'm with Sheltie Momma -- as long as the things aren't ridiculously expensive, it doesn't make sense to make a fuss. I think the only way a dress code can actually violate legal rights is if they try to fire you for wearing a religiously-dictated piece of clothing.

[Anje]

Like the others, I probably wouldn't fuss. Probably, I'd end up getting the stupid scrunchy, put my hair up in the usual hairstick bun, and put the scrunchy on behind the hairstick so it shows, like it's decorative or something.

Otherwise, I'd have a word with the manager about the spirit of the regulation. No doubt, this is for people with hair that's short enough to go into a hairnet after ponytailing. If they understand that this just doesn't work with the masses of hair that you have, but that you're securing your hair in a way that will be obvious if it falls in the food (bolts are pretty noticable!), you're complying with the spirit of the rule.

[clairenewcastle]

If it were me I would put my hair up however I like under the hairnet, not mention or draw attention to the scrunchie issue at all, and hope no one notices and complains. What's the worst that could happen? They write you up for violation of the scrunchie code?


Very funny and very true....I agree with Cinnamon Hair - put your hair up as you like under the hairnet and go about your job.
After all, what can they do about it?

[bte]

Have they changed the regulations after you signed up? If so, as I understand it, that is a unilateral change to your contract, and can't be enforced. However, you may not want to have a confrontation. Wht not buy a couple of their scrunchies, but wear what you need in addition/instead, and in a similar colour to theirs.

In any case, under a hairnet, who is going to see? I bet the person who thought of this rule doesn't have any hair at all.