Starbucks workers across three states have taken legal action against the international coffee behemoth, alleging that the company has contravened the law by introducing a new dress code without providing reimbursement for employees forced to purchase new attire.
The employees, who enjoy the backing of the union organizing Starbucks’ workers, have launched class-action lawsuits in state courts in Illinois and Colorado. Additionally, they have lodged complaints with California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Should the agency decline to seek penalties against Starbucks, the workers plan to file a class-action lawsuit in California, according to the lodged complaints.
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Starbucks refrained from commenting directly on the pending lawsuits but maintained that the dress code was simplified to offer a more consistent experience to customers and to provide clearer guidelines to its employees, termed “partners” by the company. The firm stated that, “As part of this change, and to ensure our partners were prepared, partners received two shirts at no cost.”
To understand this fully, we should note that the new dress code, effective from May 12, stipulates that all North American workers must wear a solid black shirt beneath their green aprons. The dress code also calls for specific trousers, dresses, and shoes, and imposes restrictions on facial tattoos, piercings, and makeup.
The evidence suggests the dress code is Starbucks’ initiative to make its green aprons more prominent and engender a sense of familiarity among customers, as the company strives to foster a warmer, more welcoming ambiance in its stores. This new dress code replaced a more lenient policy, which had been in place since 2016 and which allowed employees greater leeway in their choices of attire.
The lawsuits and complaints filed allege that Starbucks’ dress code contravenes state laws mandating companies to reimburse workers for expenses that primarily benefit the employer. The plaintiffs are seeking damages on behalf of all Starbucks workers in the states where the cases have been filed, irrespective of whether their stores are unionized or not.
This raises important questions about worker rights and employer responsibilities, particularly in the context of the ongoing effort to unionize Starbucks’ stores. The significance of this should not be overlooked as we watch these events unfold.
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