Q: With consistent scorching temperatures this summer, I’ve noticed many employees are coming into the office wearing shorts and T-shirts. How can I ensure that despite the hot weather people are still coming into work in professional attire?
A: If your workplace has a dress code policy, it would be best to recirculate it by email as a general reminder to all employees.
If there has been a gap in enforcement, many employees may have forgotten the expectations outlined by the company.
If employees continue to not adhere to the dress code policy, approach them on an individual basis and speak with them.
If your company does not yet have a dress code policy, the Ontario Human Rights Commission has created a checklist to help employers ensure that their policies are not discriminatory.
What to include in a dress code policy
Below are a few key highlights from the Ontario Human Rights Commission:
• Include clearly outlined processes for dress code-related accommodation requests and complaints;
• Ensure clothing requirements allow all staff to choose from comparable attire (including pants), regardless of sex or gender, with equivalent standards of style, comfort, practicality, and coverage;
• Do not require employees to wear sexualized, revealing, or gender specific clothing;
• Make sure that the dress code is equally applied to all employees rather than only offering certain options by request;
• Make sure that the dress code does not include grooming or appearance rules that disproportionately apply to women over men, are sexualizing in nature, or are based on stereotypical ideas of female attractiveness;
• Allow for a range of hairstyles and only require a specific hairstyle if it is a requirement of the job (food preparation);
• Make sure that the dress code is communicated to all staff and they have access to the policy.
It would also be beneficial to strictly address which articles of clothing — such as shorts — are not allowed to be worn by any employee in the office.
If your office space is too hot, it could be contributing to employees coming in dressed informally in an effort to keep cool.
In this case, it is the employer’s responsibility to regulate the temperature to ensure that the working space is comfortable for all.
For example, an office may choose to increase or install air conditioning.
Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act outlines a clear minimum indoor temperature requirement for industrial establishments.
This covers factories, arenas, shops, or offices.
In most cases the act states that enclosed workspaces for industrial establishments must be no less than 18 C.
It is important to note that the act states that employers are legally required to protect employees’ health and safety while on the job.
Lastly, if an employee has an accommodation request regarding the heat and states that it impacts their health or safety, it is on the employer to address their concerns.
This may include allowing work-from-home options during extreme heatwaves if the nature of work makes this possible, and allowing more flexibility with respect to dress code expectations during extraordinary weather circumstances.
