Women face high heels and make-up rules at work: report

High heels, dyed hair and make-up are among dress codes for women in the British workplace, despite gender discrimination being illegal, a parliamentary report released on Wednesday found.

Female Employee

Women are still being pressured to look a certain way in the workplace. Source: AAP

The inquiry into women's experience at work was sparked after a receptionist was sent home without pay last year by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Nicola Thorp refused to wear five-to-10-centimetre heels, arguing men were not required to abide by the same rule.

The incident in London prompted a petition which gained more than 150,000 signatures, leading to the report from the Petitions Committee and Women and Equalities Committee.

"We heard from hundreds of women who told us about the pain and long-term damage caused by wearing high heels for long periods in the workplace, as well as from women who had been required to dye their hair blonde, to wear revealing outfits and to constantly reapply make-up," the report said.

British law allows firms to set dress codes, but says companies must not discriminate against women in doing so.

The committee argued the current legal framework is not fully effective and called on the government to review the law and, if necessary, change it.

Thorp said the current system is "failing employees" and needs to be amended.

"This may have started over a pair of high heels but what it has revealed about discrimination in the UK workplace is vital, as demonstrated by the hundreds of women who came forward," she said. 

The Fawcett Society, a women's rights group, told the committee of women being criticised for wearing loose clothing on a hot day, or being asked to look "sexy" in the workplace. 

Responding to the report, a government spokesman said the findings would be considered by the Equalities Office. 

"Dress codes must be reasonable and include equivalent requirements for both men and women," he said.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AFP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Women face high heels and make-up rules at work: report | SBS News