Employer Says Worker Dresses ‘Provocative,’ Coworkers Think She’s ‘Unprofessional’ – ryan

An employer, and many of their employees, are taking issue with the way one of their colleagues dresses for work.

Writing to the Orlando Sentinel‘s “Asking Eric” advice columnthe anonymous individual told author Eric Thomas, “A woman who works for me dresses in a provocative fashion.”

Further explaining that they, the woman and the other employees “work in a formal professional setting,” the employer continued, “I get complaints from coworkers that her flesh-baring outfits are distracting and unprofessional. I contacted HR, and their response was for me to handle it.”

Highlighting one recent outfit the woman had on, the individual said, “She wore a black lace dress with cleavage,” which prompted them to state, “Boy, you’re dressed up for a Monday!” In response, the woman said she had a date later that night.

“I know you’re not meant to comment on appearances, and this is a touchy, sensitive topic. Help,” the anonymous person concluded, seeking advice.

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Thomas wrote back to the individual, first stating that they should contact their HR department and ask “for clarification about what they mean when they say you should handle it.”

“What does handling it look like? Is there a dress code that you can cite? And, most importantly, by engaging with your coworker about her attire, could you potentially create liability issues for yourself or the company?” he continued to ask.

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Thomas then directed the poster to keep in mind that the woman’s work performance is what matters most. “Ultimately, unless your company has an applicable policy that HR can point you toward, and that is enforced consistently, you’d do best to focus your feedback on her job performance,” he said.

The author also stated that other employees should talk to HR as well, should they have an issue with the woman’s attire, as it will “create or clarify applicable policies that keep everyone safe.”

“Remember that workplace standards should be applied equally to all employees. Document any guidance you receive from HR before taking action to protect yourself and your employee,” Thomas concluded his advice.