# uniforms



## Greenleaf (Mar 5, 2008)

Wondering if you guys require your employees to wear uniforms (ie. t-shirt with company logo) and whether you charge your employees for the shirts? I was under the impression that as a business owner, if you require your employees to wear a uniform that you can not charge them for it. 

I ask because I sub'ed out to a big company for a few weeks while things have been slow and they deducted 2 tshirts from my pay in the end. Seems pretty stingy to stick it to your employees like that. Another thing this company does is require it's staff to work 7:30-5 pm. However if you are not a driver you lose 1 hour of pay a day! Needless to say I think this company has a pretty hard time keeping quality employees....


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## lxt (Mar 5, 2008)

why is it the bigger companies (if this is the case) do things like this? I ordered T`s & hooded sweetshirts & gave em to my men!! No pay deduction!

I would only work what I get paid for unless salary, so I would either be fired or end up only working 40hrs a week to ask people to do this is absurd or should I say require them!! its one thing to be nice and donate some time here & there but dont expect it for free!!

sorry to hear this!!

Take Care Be Safe

LXT.....................


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## Mikecutstrees (Mar 5, 2008)

I give t-shirts to my employees, It's good advertising, makes us all look proffesional and makes the employees feel like Part of the team. In the winter I give out hooded double lined sweatshirts with the company name on them. The sweatshirts cost me $55 a piece. I think charging for t-shirts etc is ridiculous. I once had a boss who withheld my last paycheck till I returned 3 pitch covered and ripped t-shirts though. Some people are cheap.


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## Greenleaf (Mar 5, 2008)

I ask this because I also run a small crew, and with the small advertising budget I have feel that t-shirts are a great investment in having my company looking professional. I couldn't imagine charging any of my employees for a t-shirt that I'm requiring them to wear, especially when the average cost of a shirt for me is $10. I'm certain that I would lose my good helpers as soon as I told them they'd be losing an hour a day of pay due to not actually driving my truck! Not sure what it is like in other people's area but we have a labour shortage in Western Canada, and to keep good help I think companies need to wise up about not being so chinsy with details like this....


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## clearance (Mar 5, 2008)

Mikecutstrees said:


> I once had a boss who withheld my last paycheck till I returned 3 pitch covered and ripped t-shirts though. Some people are cheap.



Good Lord, WTF?


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## treemandan (Mar 5, 2008)

lxt said:


> why is it the bigger companies (if this is the case) do things like this? I ordered T`s & hooded sweetshirts & gave em to my men!! No pay deduction!
> 
> I would only work what I get paid for unless salary, so I would either be fired or end up only working 40hrs a week to ask people to do this is absurd or should I say require them!! its one thing to be nice and donate some time here & there but dont expect it for free!!
> 
> ...



I would never pay to wear something that had someone elses name on it. I think they should pay you to walk around and advertise for them. I got fired to.
I can't understand how a sub would be charged for shirts. I would be very angry, I would need my money back. He was not an employee was he? 
Anything else I could say on this matter would be saying "screw you" to companies that do this sort of thing. Not being proper forum behavior I will keep my mouth shut.


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## reachtreeservi (Mar 5, 2008)

I run a small company, 1 full time groundsman and 2 part timers.
I provide tee shirts , polo shirts and hooded sweatshirts to all my ground guys. Free
They wear the tees and hoodies to work and the polos out to eat with the wife.

I also bought everyone the same carhart jacket this past winter so we would all look the same.

If they quit or are fired, then I ask them to return everything with my logo on it. They get to keep the coats, no logo.
The reason is that I don't want to see someone on COPS or the local news being cuffed and stuffed with my company logo on his chest. 
I know something like that could happen while they work for me too .... But. 

When they're hired they sign for the uniforms, and if they didn't return them I'd hold the last check till they did. I think that's fair, the uniforms are company property. 

I used to work for PEPSI and it was the same there also.....


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## NYCHA FORESTER (Mar 6, 2008)

reachtreeservi said:


> ....If they quit or are fired, then I ask them to return everything with my logo on it. They get to keep the coats, no logo.
> The reason is that *I don't want to see someone on COPS or the local news being cuffed and stuffed with my company logo on his chest*.
> I know something like that could happen while they work for me too .... But.
> 
> ...



Ain't that the truth.... and we all know the sorts of folks that are in this line of work.

I guess it's another reason to be extra vigilant in screening potential employees.


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## BC WetCoast (Mar 7, 2008)

Greenleaf said:


> Wondering if you guys require your employees to wear uniforms (ie. t-shirt with company logo) and whether you charge your employees for the shirts? I was under the impression that as a business owner, if you require your employees to wear a uniform that you can not charge them for it.
> 
> I ask because I sub'ed out to a big company for a few weeks while things have been slow and they deducted 2 tshirts from my pay in the end. Seems pretty stingy to stick it to your employees like that. Another thing this company does is require it's staff to work 7:30-5 pm. However if you are not a driver you lose 1 hour of pay a day! Needless to say I think this company has a pretty hard time keeping quality employees....



BC Labour Standards say that you get paid from where you are required to marshal. So if you are required to meet at a yard, you get paid for traveling. However, if you have the opportunity to marshal at the job site, then the company can provide transportation to the job, but are not required to pay the travel time, however, you have the option of driving direct to the job.

Also, in BC, Labour Stds states overtime is >8hr/day or 40 hrs/wk and overtime is 1.5 x the rate. This is different that other jurisdictions.

From what you describe, there may be a labour standards violation. Check the labour standards web page on the Govt of BC portal for more details and specific regulations.


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## czeigler (Mar 7, 2008)

reachtreeservi said:


> I run a small company, 1 full time groundsman and 2 part timers.
> I provide tee shirts , polo shirts and hooded sweatshirts to all my ground guys. Free
> They wear the tees and hoodies to work and the polos out to eat with the wife.
> 
> ...



You are in Georgia and work for PEPSI???


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## reachtreeservi (Mar 7, 2008)

czeigler said:


> You are in Georgia and work for PEPSI???



I used to work for PEPSI. 
Around these parts Coke is king , but they still sell alot of PEPSI here.

I used to sling soda 6 days a week, holidays, Sundays , even Christmas day.


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## John464 (Mar 8, 2008)

I give t-shirt and hoodies for free. Each guy gets 6 t's and 6 hoodies. This costs me about $200 per man. If they lose the shirt they buy another. If it rips or wears out they get replaced for free. I do withold $20 a shirt and $50 a hoodie on the last paycheck should an employee get fired or quit until I get each shirt back. I dont care if its ripped or lost. Find it. Reason for me doing this because I had two past employees go around knocking on doors with my gear saying he was from my company. When they left a huge mess laying all on someones property I got the call threatening that I go chip it up and repair the damage done. Shirts need to come back to me from now on.


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## Mikecutstrees (Mar 8, 2008)

John464 said:


> . Reason for me doing this because I had two past employees go around knocking on doors with my gear saying he was from my company. When they left a huge mess laying all on someones property I got the call threatening that I go chip it up and repair the damage done. Shirts need to come back to me from now on.




That sucks John464, It is something to think about. I'd hate to be like that but I'd hate worse to have my companies good name tarnished. Too bad people are like that.


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## Industry (Apr 8, 2008)

The company I work for doesn't require that we wear gear with their name, but they charge $65 for a double knit sweatshirt with their logo all over it! I refuse to pay that much to advertise for them.


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