Shorts or pants? Skirt or dress? With these high temperatures, the temptation is great to come in lighter clothes. But is it allowed? What are the rules on this?
The current summer temperatures make you want to opt for a lighter outfit. However, many workers seem hesitant to take the plunge: “I would never go to work in shorts“said one,”it is necessary to be a minimum covered, even more than a minimum. A suitable outfit, but in which you also feel comfortable” expresses another.
In reality, there are no precise rules, according to the lawyer specializing in labor law, Bruno-Henri Vincent: “There is no law. Wearing a tie or not is a matter of practice within the company“.
Benjamin therefore decided, almost naturally, to opt for shorts in his workplace: “I knew I was going to be in a studio all day, where it’s pretty warm too, so I opted for the shorts, for comfort“.
At SNCB, since the beginning of this summer, train attendants who wish to do so can come in shorts: “A train is sometimes up to 250m long, and we do them on two floors, we stop and we start once more, we walk a lot. It is sometimes very hot and some trains are not air-conditioned. It is really important that our staff feel good in their uniform“said Marianne Hiernaux, spokesperson for SNCB.
“Of course, we will have to test it. We have to see if the measure will be well received by our travelers” she adds, “aToday, it’s clearly more accepted to have someone in shorts at work. This is increasingly the case with periods of high heat which are more recurrent and stronger” .
It is the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPPT) of each company that determines what can or cannot be done. Depending on the sector in which one works, a dress code may be imposed for safety or hygiene issues, for example. This type of dress code should then be clearly regulated in a collective labor agreement.
The rules relating to work in the event of high temperatures are set by the WBGT index which combines temperature and humidity. For example, for very light work, you can go up to 29°C, but for heavy or very heavy work, it goes down to 22°C.
What regarding the “dress code”?
Romain hesitated to choose the shorts for his working day, but at the last moment changed his mind: “Already, if we have meetings or not, if we are going to meet external people or not. Often the answer comes pretty quickly. We try to keep a certain ‘standing’ to come to work. We prefer to wear pants, or rather elegant jeans” he justifies.
Employers have the right to impose a certain “dress code” according to the function performed, but this must always be done without discrimination and in an objective manner.
If the work regulations do not expressly stipulate that men cannot wear shorts or that they are not obliged to opt for a certain dress code, the latter will theoretically have the right to go to work in shorts. Of course, common sense will also always be in order.
For teleworking, on the other hand, there are no rules or obligations.