Workers at Starbucks file lawsuit over revised dress code policy
Starbucks Workers File Class-Action Lawsuits Over New Dress Code
Starbucks workers in Illinois, Colorado, and California have taken legal action against the company, alleging that its new dress code violates state laws requiring employers to reimburse workers for expenses that primarily benefit the employer.
The lawsuits, filed in state courts, mark a shift in tactics in the multi-year effort to unionize Starbucks' stores. The lawsuits seek damages on behalf of all Starbucks workers in the affected states, whether or not their stores are unionized.
The new dress code, which went into effect on May 12, 2023, requires all workers in North America to wear a solid black shirt, khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms, and black, gray, dark blue, brown, tan, or white shoes made from a waterproof material. The dress code also prohibits employees from having face tattoos, more than one facial piercing, tongue piercings, and "theatrical makeup."
Starbucks refers to its employees as "partners," and the company says the new dress code is intended to make employees' green aprons stand out and create a warmer, more welcoming experience for customers. However, some workers argue that it is tone deaf for Starbucks to expect employees to reimburse for new clothes without compensation.
One worker, Brooke Allen, a full-time student who also works at a Starbucks in Davis, California, had to spend $60.09 to buy compliant shoes after being told by a manager that her Crocs didn't meet the new standards. Allen misses the old dress code, which allowed her to express herself with colorful shirts and multiple facial piercings.
Multiple plaintiffs, like Allen, were denied reimbursement from Starbucks to conform to the dress code. Gilbert Cruz, an employee in Aurora, Illinois, requested reimbursement for the cost of removing a nose piercing but was denied.
Colorado law prohibits employers from imposing expenses on workers without their written consent, according to one of the lawsuits. The lawsuits allege that the dress code violates this law, as well as similar laws in Illinois and California.
The NLRB's ability to hear cases has been curtailed under President Donald Trump, with Trump firing an NLRB member in the spring, leaving the board without the quorum it needs to decide cases. As a result, the lawsuits have been filed in state courts rather than the NLRB.
Starbucks has not commented directly on the lawsuits. However, the company's new dress code is part of a broader effort to standardize its operations and create a more consistent customer experience across its stores.
The lawsuits are backed by a union organizing Starbucks' workers. The union has been pushing for better working conditions, including higher wages and more control over store operations, and the lawsuits are seen as a way to exert pressure on the company.
The cases are likely to be closely watched by workers and labour advocates, as they could set a precedent for how companies can be held accountable for their dress code policies.
