Employer wants employees to pay for uniforms?

Kuva

Hi,

Can they do this?

They're going to deduct price from wages over the course of the year.

Kuva

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/pay_and_employment/pay_slip.html

That says only if it's in your contract...

Stheno

Kuva wrote: »

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/pay_and_employment/pay_slip.html

That says only if it's in your contract...

Have you checked your contract?

Kuva

Stheno wrote: »

Have you checked your contract?

New owners with new contracts incoming, so I'm guessing it'll be in that. Surprising that this is allowed to be honest, it's branded gear, you wouldn't wear it anywhere else but work.

Stheno

Kuva wrote: »

New owners with new contracts incoming, so I'm guessing it'll be in that. Surprising that this is allowed to be honest, it's branded gear, you wouldn't wear it anywhere else but work.

On the flip side you'll pay peanuts for work clothes

Why do you think it's wrong to pay for your uniform? If you'd no uniform you'd have to buy clothes for work

donegal_man

Check with revenue. You might be eligible for tax rebate if you have to buy and launder your own uniform. Probably not amount to much but it all counts.

Sam Quentin

You look good, business does good, owner makes money, owner pays you, you now happy 😊.... Alls good in the hood...

NinetyTwoTeam

Sam Quentin wrote: »

You look good, business does good, owner makes money, owner pays you, you now happy 😊.... Alls good in the hood...

Ha! Have you ever seen or worn a typical branded uniform and thought, Wow that looks great? it's usually big boxy polo shirts in hideous colors or similar.

it's just another way of nickel and diming low paid employees, making them pay for something that they can't use anywhere else (unlike, say a plain black shirt and trousers that a barman can wear to any job.) A large business should have sufficient profits to be able to buy uniforms in bulk at negligible cost. A small business will not has as many employees and can order just what they need and again, the cost will be reasonable.

I wouldn't be too optimistic about these new owners, it's likely a sign of things to come.

4ensic15

Kuva wrote: »

New owners with new contracts incoming, so I'm guessing it'll be in that. Surprising that this is allowed to be honest, it's branded gear, you wouldn't wear it anywhere else but work.

Under the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations, your contracts must remain as before. Complain to the WRC.

screamer

I can see the logic though. If staff pay for their uniform they would probably look after it better. Check your contracts is always the advise. You will get a tax credit if you have to pay for your uniform ( but you have to apply for it).

jimmycrackcorm

Kuva wrote:

New owners with new contracts incoming, so I'm guessing it'll be in that. Surprising that this is allowed to be honest, it's branded gear, you wouldn't wear it anywhere else but work.

You don't have to agree to the new contract or cash object to parts of it.

Kuva wrote:

They're going to deduct price from wages over the course of the year.

They absolutely can't deduct money from your wages without your agreement other than taxation managed by law.

Peregrinus

It's not uncommon for employees to pay for uniforms, and for this to be handled by deduction from wages. The uniforms tend to be cheap and, as others have said, if they are suitable for work only you'll get a tax credit not only for buying them but also for laundering them.

Still, all other things being equal, if nothing else changes then when this is introduced the employees will be out of pocket. And there's a sporting chance, to put it no higher, that for a new employer to take over the business and make changes like this is a breach of the aptly-named Protection of Employees Rights on Transfer of Undertakings Regulations. Might be a different matter if they are also increasing pay rates or making other beneficial changes which will more than offset the impact of this.

B-D-P--

Ahh, is it not a bonus that its taken from wadges pretax to pay for uniforms that they want?

They do make the company more professional looking, meaning better business.

People are so quick to go negative, the company may be looking to improve their image, and doing this in the most affordable way for the employee.

You have to wear clothes to work, you work most the week, so its not like they are taking money off you for something you'll use for 2 hours in the week!

Victor

I would only accept this if a uniform allowance is paid or you are allowed X number of uniform items free per year, e.g. two shirts and two pairs of trousers in the first year and one shirt and one pair of trousers each subsequent year.

4ensic15

B-D-P-- wrote: »

Ahh, is it not a bonus that its taken from wadges pretax to pay for uniforms that they want?

A bonus is something given to a person, not something taken from them.

B-D-P-- wrote: »

They do make the company more professional looking, meaning better business.

Maybe so. If that is the case why doesn't the employer pay for it?

B-D-P-- wrote: »

People are so quick to go negative, the company may be looking to improve their image, and doing this in the most affordable way for the employee.

It is much more affordable if the employer pays for it.

B-D-P-- wrote: »

You have to wear clothes to work, you work most the week, so its not like they are taking money off you for something you'll use for 2 hours in the week!

A person may have to wear clothes to work but if they have to wear particular clothes, the said clothes should be supplied by the person seeking to gain from it - the employer. It also means the employee has to travel to work in the employer's clothes exposing themselves to ridicule or else change at work, thus wasting time and leaving their own possessions at risk.

RustyNut

B-D-P-- wrote: »

They do make the company more professional looking, meaning better business.

People are so quick to go negative, the company may be looking to improve their image, and doing this in the most affordable way for the employee.

If the company want to improve their image then the company should pick up the tab for this.

the_pen_turner

I see a uniform the same as ppe.
its the employers responsibility
if they are getting the gain from it then why not pay for it.
it would be all tax deductible to the company anyway

4ensic15

Start paying for the uniform and the next thing the employer will be charging for the use of the toilets.

Sleeper12

Kuva wrote:

New owners with new contracts incoming, so I'm guessing it'll be in that. Surprising that this is allowed to be honest, it's branded gear, you wouldn't wear it anywhere else but work.

You will get full tax relief for the costs.

I heard someone from revenue on the radio the other day talking about the revenue website & various things you can claim for. Some professions have set fees negotiated. For example nurses are entitled to automatic 700 tax relief (possibly rebate) if they supply & launder their own uniform. Look on the revenue website.

It might take the sting out of it for you

GM228

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You will get full tax relief for the costs.

I heard someone from revenue on the radio the other day talking about the revenue website & various things you can claim for. Some professions have set fees negotiated. For example nurses are entitled to automatic 700 tax relief (possibly rebate) if they supply & launder their own uniform. Look on the revenue website.

It might take the sting out of it for you

This is known as flat rate expenses and I would not consider it a "full tax relief for the costs". All are fixed reliefs so may not represent true costs associated. The rates are reliefs not credits so would not represent any true possible rebate value, the nurse credit you mention for example (which is €733) would net you either €146 or €293 extra take home pay per year depending on your income.

endacl

I worked nights in security when I was a student. We were docked a fiver a week for the 'uniform', which was a cheap pair of grey Farah slacks, and a '3 for a tenner' type shirt with the word 'Security' embroidered on the chest.

Not too bad when you were only there for a summer, but a bit of a pain in the hole for the man I was working with. Lovely fella, but not too bright. He'd been paying for his slacks and shirt combo for about six years.

GarIT

I wouldn't work for a company that asked me to pay for my uniform. Even if it was a €100k per year job and a €10 uniform. If they don't buy it I'm certainly not going to.

That being said I don't think I'd apply for a job anywhere that had uniforms.

Carawaystick

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You will get full tax relief for the costs.

Only if you earn enough to pay enough tax to cover the costs.

Sleeper12

GM228 wrote:

This is known as flat rate expenses and I would not consider it a "full tax relief for the costs". All are fixed reliefs so may not represent true costs associated. The rates are reliefs not credits so would not represent any true possible rebate value, the nurse credit you mention for example (which is €733) would net you either €146 or €293 extra take home pay per year depending on your income.

Sorry I gave as much information as I could remember. I caught a bit on the radio. I'm happy to stand corrected