Paying For Uniforms @ Work

[Rae]

I work for a restaurant/bar part time, as a bartender. My boss, the owner is now requiring all the staff to wear a polo shirt that they supplied to us with the business logo on it. By law do we, as the employees have to pay for that shirt considering it is not "street wear" or does the employer have to pay for it?

ANSWER: what state do you work in? State laws are different.

Shirley

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

I'm in the state of NJ.

[jermaine]

I just answered it for someone in New Jersey not long ago.

Here is a copy of my answer.

Shirley

The New Jersey Employer cannot require you to purchase a uniform with the company logo.

Here is the section from the Q/A section of the New Jersey Department of Labor website.

Q. Can an employer make a deduction for uniforms or uniform maintenance?

A. No. The Law states "No deduction from the pay of employees for uniforms shall be permitted. If the employee pays for uniforms in cash and the cash payment brings the employee below the minimum wage, the employer shall make up the difference for the minimum wage for that week." In addition, an employer may not require an employee to purchase a uniform that contains a company logo or cannot be worn as street wear. However, Section 34:11-4.4b(6) of the Wage Payment Law, NJSA 34:11-4.1 et seq., allows deductions including those for: "Payments authorized by employees or their collective bargaining agents for the rental of work clothing or uniforms or for the laundering or dry cleaning of work clothing or uniforms; provided the deductions for such payments are authorized by the employer."

It appears that the employer cannot force you to purchase the uniform, however, they do allow deductions which are authorized by the employee for the rental or the laundering of the uniforms.

Shirley