Uniforms - HELP!!!

Leslie

We have waitstaff that wander around serving drinks, food, etc. The uniform has just changed for the women to a boustier type top and a skort - the top is pretty revealing on big chested women. (Don't know if this makes any difference, but the guys are in black pants, white long sleeve shirts, red ties and a black vest.) There is no maternity option. Problem One: We have one waitress six weeks along who already says the uniform is too tight. The GM and department head want to accommodate her. Problem Two: The department had recently hired a woman on graveyard shift who is big. When she was hired, she was in the old uniform. When she went to get measured for the new uniform, it was found that it does not even come in her size. The GM does not want to accommodate her, and wants her moved to a different area. I think we have a problem here. What say you?

LivindonSouth

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-24-05 AT 07:40AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I think you have a problem too. Like Hooters Restaurants, the casino industry as a whole is just waiting for a million dollar lawsuit. But, I reckon they can afford it. We'll see. The industry needs to realize; When you're dropping all your money into slots or watching a dealer drag your chips, it's sorta like being in a dentist's chair....it don't matter what the dental assistant looks like, you won't get an erection no matter what. These uniforms make no business sense whatsoever. In Hooters they do, but not in casinos. They should be in shorts or jeans and a logo golf shirt, and clothing that allows people of all sizes and conditions to be comfortable and productive.

HRinFL

There was a recent case where a female ee at a casino sued the er because they required her to wear make-up or be removed to another area of the casino. She refused and eventually sued (I believe I saw this on one of the state newsletters). The er won because it showed that the uniform plicy was not discriminatory towards females (she claimed men did not have to wear make-up; therefore, the policy was discriminatory against women). The er showed that it had strict grooming standards for men and that the policy was based on a business need, the appearance of waitstaff directly impacted the image of the casino. You may want to see if you can find that case.

In your situation, I would accommodate both. Why not let them wear a white shirt, vest, and bowtie like the men?

SMace

IMHO this is a decision that is bigger than one particular restaurant. Your senior management and attorneys must decide the path it will take now and for the future... make exceptions or stick to the uniform. You must also carefully craft a sound defense on why you are doing what you are doing and decide what is the business reason behind it.

As livin said this one is ripe for the picking and I would not want to make a shoestring decision on this one. I would bank that one day you are going to be part of a deposition explaining why you did what you did.

deniseE

Perhaps you can give ee's a choice of uniforms? Either the busty ones or the ones with long sleeves and pants. The fact that the busty ones may not come in larger sizes is not a discrimination issue if the manufacturer does not produce them at all (as opposed to your refusal to order then in upper sizes)

Frankly, the ladies will likely still choose the more revealing uniform with the hopes of larger tips. The ladies that choose to wear the pants will still look presentable (much more so than squeezing into a too-tight garment) and all will meet your dress code requirements.

good luck!

ritaanz

I think Denise's suggestion has a lot of merit. Let them choose which uniform they want.

As a customer at a casino, I would not notice that not all of the females are wearing the same uniform. Nor do I care. Don't get hung up on the uniform thing, remember the reason the job exists in the first place, to service the public.

The image of a large woman in a boustier type top is gross. How would that poor woman feel?

Leslie

Thanks guys. My concern was with the discriminatory aspect - accommodating a pregnant woman but not accommodating a overweight woman. And you're right, ritaanz, this uniform would be unsightly on a heavy woman. Looks like we're going to look for some maternity shorts and tops. We'll see how it goes...

LivindonSouth

Did you perhaps mean 'serve' rather than 'service' the customer. There is typically a difference, although in Las Vegas it's possible the words may be used interchangeably.

Crout

I would accommodate the pregnant woman, but would only accommodate the chubby one IF your leadership has decided that the personal appearance of the waitstaff is not a business concern. In the case cited above, that casino established that they were marketing a brand...that when people entered their casino one of the things they were looking for was attractive staff. So the casino was entitled to set and enforce weight standards. Notice, however, that they tried to help that woman keep a job by transferring her, which she refused. It doesn't sound very fair, and maybe it isn't, but the fact remains that you can discriminate based on appearance.