Starbucks is facing legal challenges in three US states after employees accused the company of forcing them to pay out of pocket to comply with a new dress code. Workers in California, Colorado, and Illinois say the coffee giant has violated labor laws by refusing to reimburse them for required clothing purchases.
On September 17, with support from the union organizing Starbucks employees, three baristas filed class-action lawsuits in Illinois and Colorado. At the same time, complaints were submitted to California’s Labour and Workforce Development Agency, warning that a class-action case would follow if state regulators did not take action.
According to court filings, multiple workers requested that Starbucks reimburse them for new clothing expenses but were denied. The policy at the center of the dispute is the company’s updated dress code, which took effect in May. The rules require employees to wear a plain black shirt either short or long-sleeved under the company’s signature green apron. The shirts cannot reveal midriffs, nor can they be sleeveless.
Workers say Starbucks’ refusal to cover these costs places an undue financial burden on staff, many of whom are hourly employees. Attorneys for the plaintiffs argue that state labor laws in California, Colorado, and Illinois clearly mandate employers to reimburse workers for expenses tied to uniforms or attire required for work.
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