The government has released new guidance on dress codes, following a recommendation from the Women and Equalities Select Committee. The guidance highlights that dress codes can be legitimate but that standards for men and women must be equivalent.
The guidance specifically highlights the requirement for women to wear high heels as being likely to be direct discrimination: “a dress code could be unlawful, for example, if it requires female employees to wear high heels, with all the discomfort and inherent health issues these can cause, because it treats women less favourably than men…”.
The guidance also covers transgender staff and religious symbols. The full guidance can be found here.
The content on this page is for general awareness only. It is not intended to constitute professional or legal advice. Changes to legislation may have happened since this article was published. The contents of this article should not be used as a basis for action and the reader should be advised to seek the appropriate professional advice based on their individual circumstances.
