Receptionist sent home from work because they wouldnt wear heels.

Yea, the alternative is to not work in a job where appearances matter.

In modern day society that is a tiny selection of jobs. As a model etc I can understand why it would matter, but not as a receptionist/office worker etc. Appearances shouldn't matter as long as the quality of work is decent. Why should you need to be pretty/attractive when showing people to different rooms?

Reply 21

999tigger

19

I like how PWC have distanced themselves so fast from this. Bet they are lobomg the publicity, not, even though it's the agency.

Reply 22

brainhuman

2

Original post by Elizzey

In modern day society that is a tiny selection of jobs. As a model etc I can understand why it would matter, but not as a receptionist/office worker etc. Appearances shouldn't matter as long as the quality of work is decent. Why should you need to be pretty/attractive when showing people to different rooms?

Because we are human. We like things that look good. Why do you think products in supermarket spend so much looking nice and fancy? Or not in some cases so as to pull all the budget minded shoppers?

**** me, yes ofc heels is only a tiny thing, but it's the principle. I'd get canned if I didn't come wearing a suit. And don't start with the health reason again, I can just as easily say I feel more comfortable in the clothes I want to wear this suit is making me hate myself or whatever. Or in the summer it literally is unbearable.

ps I am sorry but if you don't understand that one has to look presentable at the very least, and the better one looks the better, in business, then you don't understand much about business. At my firm the higher up managers can get tailored suits on the company's dime just to look good.

Reply 23

banterboy

13

would rather where heels than a suit in summer. You girls really don't understand.

And yes i know foot pains, i have played football in boots so small my nails fell off, it wasn't even that bad, stop being wusses because heels are "uncomfortable" and "painful". And do not conflate pain with "doing damage" ffs.

Everything that happens to a woman is a big thing thing.

Reply 24

Implication

18

Original post by TheBBQ

I can understand heels but not high heels.

Most suit shoes for men have a small heel. A small heel shouldn't be a problem?

As for people saying it is sexist, remember that it is pretty much an unspoken requirement for a male professional to wear a tie and have their top button done up, Not to mention you should wear a jacket for the majority of the time.

If she was asked to wear a small heeled shoe then she is making way too big of a deal of this. If she was asked to wear 6 inch stilettos or something then I'd understand.

Citing another example of sexism doesn't stop this being sexist! I still find myself surprised that employers (and schools) are even allowed to have explicitly discriminatory dress codes in this day and age.

Reply 25

Unkempt_One

13

There's also a petition going on which will probably reach 100000 signatures. High heels are degenerate.

Reply 26

Unkempt_One

13

Original post by banterboy

would rather where heels than a suit in summer. You girls really don't understand.

And yes i know foot pains, i have played football in boots so small my nails fell off, it wasn't even that bad, stop being wusses because heels are "uncomfortable" and "painful". And do not conflate pain with "doing damage" ffs.

Everything that happens to a woman is a big thing thing.

Suits don't cause crippling foot pain and arthritis, and you only have yourself to blame for wearing undersized boots.

Reply 27

Toasticide

17

that's just ludicrous! for a start no one would even be able to see the receptionist's feet unless they worked at a glass table which isn't very likely. life really can be strange sometimes :/

Reply 28

Unkempt_One

13

Original post by Good bloke

In fact, it is a receptionist's role (especially at a visitor centre, as this is) to greet visitors and show them to the person or room they are visiting. This involves considerable amounts of walking around.

You must be thinking of telephonist-receptionists who are employed by smaller companies at ordinary offices and given secretrial duties as well as those of a telephonist-receptionist.

That's the point though. Since she would be walking around a lot the footwear is simply impractical for the job.

Reply 29

Unkempt_One

13

Original post by blipson

Has no-one got the b***s to say why? it's because women look sexy in high heels and as a receptionist the company wanted her to look sexy

I'm pretty sure I saw it mentioned somewhere that it would be illegal if the only purpose were to make women look 'sexy'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36265545

'So, could women made to wear them at work sue their employer? "If they set the code because they thought high heels made women look sexy, that is a case," says Lawrence Davis, director at Equal Justice Limited solicitors, "because being sexy at work is not a job requirement."'

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 30

banterboy

13

Original post by Unkempt_One

Suits don't cause crippling foot pain and arthritis, and you only have yourself to blame for wearing undersized boots.

Heat>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>footpain. The point about boots was to show that, yes, i know the kind of pain that you guys are feeling, so i KNOW that it is trivial.

Most women where higheels casually out of choice, it's their preferred fasion, and most of them don't get arthritis.

meanwhile the biggest cause of male infertility is heat, and a suit adds degrees to that heat. It's even worse now that air conditioners are now considered patriarchal and sexist.

Reply 31

999tigger

19

Original post by Toasticide

that's just ludicrous! for a start no one would even be able to see the receptionist's feet unless they worked at a glass table which isn't very likely. life really can be strange sometimes :/

If you bothered to read the article, then you would see that isnt the case.

Reply 32

999tigger

19

Original post by Unkempt_One

I'm pretty sure I saw it mentioned somewhere that it would be illegal if the only purpose were to make women look 'sexy'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36265545

'So, could women made to wear them at work sue their employer? "If they set the code because they thought high heels made women look sexy, that is a case," says Lawrence Davis, director at Equal Justice Limited solicitors, "because being sexy at work is not a job requirement."'

This situation is made more complicated because its an agency and theres no sign of how long she worked there or what action she took. Sex discrimination cases can take years, especially if its appealed.

Reply 33

z33

21

When you have to hurt yourself to work somewhere

I'm moving to Mars who wants to come?

Reply 34

joey11223

20

Lol poor play, should have come in wearing really high heels then "accidentally" tripped over causing her significant leg and back pains, take em to the cleaners.

Ridiculous really, she could wear small heels or even smart flats, I mean I suppose if it was in the actual job description you had to wear those specific shoes fair enough, but then it would be a foolish requirement.

Reply 35

Toasticide

17

Original post by 999tigger

If you bothered to read the article, then you would see that isnt the case.

nah, i didn't read the article, too busy doing maths C1 revision :smile:

Reply 36

Unkempt_One

13

Original post by banterboy

Heat>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>footpain. The point about boots was to show that, yes, i know the kind of pain that you guys are feeling, so i KNOW that it is trivial.

Most women where higheels casually out of choice, it's their preferred fasion, and most of them don't get arthritis.

meanwhile the biggest cause of male infertility is heat, and a suit adds degrees to that heat. It's even worse now that air conditioners are now considered patriarchal and sexist.

What's the point of wearing a suit at a workplace too poor to afford air conditioning? It takes an average of an hour for heels to start hurting like hell. Heat just makes you sweat. It doesn't hurt, unless you're a moron who doesn't drink enough. Although I think suiting and booting is past its sell-by-date, it seems you're making a big deal out of a non-issue. Associating suits with low fertility also seems to me to be a misinterpretation of scientific literature. All you need to do is keep the balls nice and cool.

Reply 37

Unkempt_One

13

Original post by 999tigger

This situation is made more complicated because its an agency and theres no sign of how long she worked there or what action she took. Sex discrimination cases can take years, especially if its appealed.

It doesn't matter now; that petition is going to parliament and it would be some easy points for politicians to outlaw it as a requirement.

Reply 38

mojojojo101

17

Original post by Unkempt_One

I'm pretty sure I saw it mentioned somewhere that it would be illegal if the only purpose were to make women look 'sexy'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36265545

'So, could women made to wear them at work sue their employer? "If they set the code because they thought high heels made women look sexy, that is a case," says Lawrence Davis, director at Equal Justice Limited solicitors, "because being sexy at work is not a job requirement."'

No company is stupid enough to put that in the job description, they will put something like 'smart' or 'presentable' which basically allows them to do the same thing but without the threat of a lawsuit.

Original post by Unkempt_One

It doesn't matter now; that petition is going to parliament and it would be some easy points for politicians to outlaw it as a requirement.

Personally I don't think this will be solved by a government ban on high heel requirements. The underlying issue is that people have ridiculous conceptions of what it is necessary to wear to work and even more ridiculous expectations of what people should wear when trying to sell them something. Government can't change that, that requires people to change, which they don't want to.