Is it right to make employees pay for their own uniform?

Well my brother had to pay for his uniforms when he worked at Sears. It doesn’t make any sense to me at all.

You shouldn’t have to but that just must be how Subway does things. Although it’s only $40, my school uniform costs more than that and it only involves three items of clothing!

Employer sounds better :p Js

I think so too, but extra clothes should come at a cost if the employee damages or loses it. My dad doesn’t even have to pay for his uniform. He works at TSA and he gets an allowance from his job to pay for his uniform and his uniform is way more expensive than a subway uniform.

They should’ve informed you first that it would have come from your paycheck. Perhaps they did and its buried in some obscure small print.

But these day and age and with the current job situation it’s perfectly normal for them to charge you for the uniform because if you don’t want to pay for it then I am pretty sure there will be more desperate people that will pay for the uniform so they can have a job.

When the job market its different and employers are having problem hiring people, the employers will advertise how if you go and work for them, they will pay for the uniforms and will also give you a cash bonus.

I never used to have to pay for my works uniform, after all it’s pormoting their business.

There are expenses associated with many jobs. I do think it is tacky for a fast food organization to make employees pay for their own uniform. Fast food pays so little that expecting employees to pay for uniforms or supplies isn’t really right. The only fast food gig I had was at KFC and they paid for the uniforms.

i work for a family owned restaurant and they just gave me the shirts for free. i think the work should give you that stuff for free

Exactly. After taxes, I dont get paid much at all!

It is so wrong and an abuse of the low paid worker and a reason to not eat at subway…What they should do if it is a problem that employees dont work at there place long enough to cover the cost to the employer of the uniform, is to first make the jobs worth keeping …Or a more realistic method would be if you leave within the first 6 months the cost of your uniform comes out of your last paycheck…Then any serious wanting /needing the job person could work with out this crap to worry about or have to do things coz of the losers who mess employers about.They switch the sht to you…they cant loose only you can,they have millions,you dont.

The Owners decision either way…..what he/she thinks is best for their business……

I’ve never understood this either… especially when you know that the people at the top are billionaires and the cost of a uniform is probably less than they spend on a pair of socks.

i guess one reason they might do it is. that if the person has to buy it they will wash and respect the clothing more. and plus ittll show whether or not the person is dedicated to working there.

To stop this abuse of low paid people…Any one who has had to buy there crappy uniform must have the right to take it with them when they leave as they paid for it…So …Ex employees start hangin about the stores in your old uniform…Eat on the counter in front of customers who think you are workin n dont realise…i dunno but if you thought about it the policy of these companys could be changed due to them not owning there uniforms say and forcing the cost on you….I bet if say a mcds employee could be pictured out side a mcds swigging a bottle of moonshine in his uniform …something would change to stop anyone legaly representing them….Then again they prob make you sign some shite to say you cant wear it out of work or sumin…but ya never know.

You can deduct uniform expenses on your federal income tax. Might help you get a few dollars back.

I worked for a baquet facility and we had to buy our own at stores. I worked at Burgerking and they provide us with our uniforms and don’t make us pay, I actually never gave back my uniform and still have lots of hats and visors. Then working for the Airport for Delta Airlines and they give you so much money every year to spend on clothes from their website. They pay for your shoes also but if you leave the work place before 6 months then you have to pay them back the money. But in general I think its so stupid for us to have to pay for uniforms, We got the job trying to make money to pay bills and then we need more money we don’t have to pay for our uniforms…? Just like if you work at a mall at a store, you have to wear their clothes… So you have to spend some of your paycheck on their company to work there, THATS RIDIC!!!!!! & so NOT right. I mean I get it your working for them so they want you to model the clothes for people and show off their company but still then it should be like a 90% discount off their clothes, esp if you work in a store that is super expensive clothes like.. Express! Which I got hired, and then it told me how many different outfits I would have to buy from there to work there, so now I was out, I wasn’t doing that.

Yay! Work giver!!!! :D

obviously, theyre clothes aren’t they lol

Actually, according to the FLSA it is illegal for an employer to deduct from an employee an item that is for the benefit of the employer (which includes uniforms, cash shortages, etc.) if it takes them below minimum wage. I’m assuming that if you worked at Subway you weren’t making much above minimum wage. Therefore, if after deducting the $40.00 brought you below minimum wage then what they did is indeed illegal. Hope this helps.