6.8 Dress and Personal Appearance

Purpose

To establish guidelines for appropriate dress and appearance during normal business hours at the college.

Scope

All employees of Rochester University.

Policy

Employees are expected to maintain an appropriate appearance that is businesslike, neat and clean, as determined by the area in which the employee works. Appropriate appearance includes:

• Apparel – Employees should wear appropriate and clean attire. The following is a list of some examples of inappropriate dress, but is not all inclusive:
  • Faded and/or tattered jeans, shirts displaying advertising
  • Overalls, sweatshirts, tight-fitting leggings or pants, jogging suits, shorts, tank tops, halter tops or crop tops
  • Clothing that is revealing or see-through in appearance, including spaghetti straps, bare backs, midriffs or shoulders, as well as anything thought to be sexually provocative.
  • Any clothing item displaying offensive comment or graphic illustration.
  • Maintenance and Housekeeping personnel are to wear attire provided by Rochester University that is appropriate for the type of work being performed
  • Grounds personnel are to wear appropriate attire for the work being performed.
• Personal Appearance – Employees should maintain healthy personal hygiene, as well as suitable grooming habits.
  • Hair should be clean, combed and neatly trimmed or arranged. This pertains to sideburns, mustaches and beards.
  • Good personal hygiene habits must be maintained.

Supervisors are responsible for evaluating the dress and appearance of employees and reserve the right to determine the appropriateness of any clothing item. If you are unsure about something, either inquire before wearing it to work or do not wear it at all. Employees who report to work inappropriately attired will be asked to leave work to change clothes and will be required to use personal time or vacation time to do so.