MetaChat - I need help with my job's shoe policy.

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03 July 2007

I need help with my job's shoe policy. →[More:]
Our company handbook says: Open-toed shoes are not allowed in any area of the building.
This makes sense because we have a shop where we process, move and store glass.

But as the weather gets warmer, I've seen people wearing open toed shoes and sandals in the office. The people that I've seen wearing these shoes don't stay in the office area 100% of the time. While they are considered office staff (not shop staff) they regularly have to go into the shop to work, meet with production people, or just get to their offices.

I emailed our operations manager today to clarify whether or not the policy in the handbook was correct. His first response was that they certainly don't want the shop employees wearing the open-toed shoes because it's a safety issue. But he tends to be more lenient with office employees.

So I responded and asked what guidelines, as an office employee, I should use to determine whether or not a pair of open-toed shoes would be acceptable. His response was: follow the company policy.

Now what? I don't want to risk some sort of dicipline for not wearing the right shoes, but I can't stand closed toed shoes in the summer!! I'd also like to mention that the operations manager is one of the ones that wears sandals and his office is in the shop. GRRRR!!

post by: youngergirl44 at: 18:26 | 11 comments

Set a good example and keep your toes safe.

(Yeah, that's no fun but at least you can feel morally superior that way. :-P )

posted by bunnyfire 03 July | 18:41

Do you get along with ops manager? Have any reason to think he's gunning for you? If not:

He has to say in a company email that you should follow the policy, but if you have a face to face conversation and it'll probably clarify and I bet you can wear what you want.

posted by rainbaby 03 July | 18:56

Well, I hate to aim you towards the "dark side," but the dress code at my job (I work in a computer lab, so there is the occasional time where I may drop something on my foot) is also closed-toed shoes.

However, they will pry my feet out of my beloved arch-supporting Birkenstock sandals when I'm dead. My supervisors have issued no ultimatums so far.

Disclaimer: It seems that the policy was primarily put into effect due to some folks who wore sandals and had supremely yucky (smelly!) feet, so YMMV. Also, yes, I am one of those people who usually wears socks with my Birks when I'm at work. It's a university, though, so stranger things happen often.

posted by lilywing13 03 July | 19:00

Unless you like having glass shards stuck in your toes, stick with the closed-toe shoes. It's worth putting up with a little discomfort for the sake of safety. I used to dislike the steel-toed boots they made me wear when I was driving a truck, until I saw a guy I was training get his toes caught in the lift gate. Had he not been wearing steel-toed boots, it would have sliced his toes off.

posted by bmarkey 03 July | 19:06

I'm not a shop employee, so it's less of a safety issue for me. If I were in the shop, I would understand completely.

Rainbaby is probably right... I'll have to talk to him face to face about it.

posted by youngergirl44 03 July | 19:10

The boss' concern is keeping the company free from liability. He probably won't or can't tell you that it's OK to wear sandals. You can wear them anyway, and if he needs to enforce the policy further, he will. However, by making that choice you may become one more straw on a camel's back that eventually results in the policy getting strictly enforced. Who knows what might lie down the road?

The thing is, if you did hurt your toes and tried to collect comp or liability, it might come into play that you were in violation of the workplace policy and could potentially jeopardize your coverage.

I guess it all depends on how important it is to you.

posted by Miko 03 July | 19:15

Man, as a dude, I can't even imagine wearing open-toed shoes at work. But I never wear open-toed shoes unless I'm going in water. Oh, gender disparity!

posted by Eideteker 03 July | 19:17

hey! I've been wondering where you are...

His response was: follow the company policy.

But, but what did you expect him to say? That is the right answer. If other people don't wear them though, you can follow suit. But I suppose, if you endanger those precious little toes, why would you want to?

posted by carmina 03 July | 19:23

I'm not a shop employee, so it's less of a safety issue for me.

Right up until the time that, for whatever reason, you have to go out on the shop floor.

posted by bmarkey 03 July | 19:24

I think there's a way you can make everybody happy. Keep a pair of sturdy closed-toe shoes under your desk at work, and wear whatever you want to in the office. Then if for some reason you need to go where better foot protection is necessary, you can slip into the other shoes.

I kinda do this where I work -- I basically wear whatever shoes I want to in the office (and this being July in Florida, it's open toed shoes) but I have a pair of steel toed boots in my office for when I have to go out in the muck. True, I wouldn't have those boots if my employer hadn't bought them for me, but they've come in handy on quite a few occasions.

posted by contessa 03 July | 20:49

I like contessa's opinion here more than my own. Keeps everyone happy and SAFE. Excellent.

posted by lilywing13 04 July | 01:00

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