Payment for workplace uniforms?

[brassmonkey]

My girlfiend has a specified dress code for her workplace. Is the employer legally obliged to pay for this?

Her blouses are provided since they are a specific pattern, but she has been told that although the dress code requires black skirts etc, her employer will not pay for these.

Thanks.

[TEAK36]

I believe your girlfriends employers are well within their rights asking the employers to pay for their own skirts because they have only specified a colour for the skirts.If the employer specified that they wanted something like the company logo or specific pattern, then the employer would have to pay for them, as they have done so with the blouses.

[TEAK36]

opps, that should say

I believe they employers are well within their rights asking employees to pay.

[ChuffingHell]

Normally, an employer can only be forced to pay for uniform when what is required is actually PPE - eg, steel capped safety boots) - and even then, its still a grey area.

Works in the same way as schools and the uniforms they require students to wear; most schools don't pay for this (although they might subsidise it).