Requiring Specific Employee Dress is Not Equivalent to Requiring a Uniform

On April 29, 2010, the Utah Court of Appeals in Juricic v. Autozone, Inc., clarified that an employer may require a certain dress standard, including specifying the colors of shirts and pants to be worn at work, without such a requirement being considered a uniform. This is significant because it forecloses an employer from being required to reimburse employees for the purchase of such clothing under the Labor Commission’s regulations. Specifically, the regulation states as follows: “Where the wearing of uniforms is a condition of employment, the employer shall provide the uniforms free of charge.” Utah R. Admin. R610-3-21(A). The Court’s ruling affirmed an earlier decision that Autozone, Inc., did not need to reimburse its former employee for ten years worth of clothing he purchased to comply with the dress code.