Should women be forced to wear high heels at work?

[Bubbles]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36264229

I thought that was disgraceful on two counts.

Firstly high heels are bad for your back and posture.

Secondly, it's forcing women to become sex objects again 

A lot of women avoid high heels because of the discomfort.

They can also lead to corns and bunions.

I wonder if this company would be prepared to foot the bill for sorting out  those.

Plus if you fell down the stairs in them, wouldn't they be liable under health and safety?

 

[L.A.]

Definitely not, it's fairly well documented that high-heals are bad for feet, so forcing someone to wear them must surely be a breach of 'Health and Safety'.

[floo]

I have just read that and can't believe anyone could be sent home for not wearing those ghastly uncomfortable shoes! I have never been able to wear high heels.

[splashscuba]

Definitely not, it's fairly well documented that high-heals are bad for feet, so forcing someone to wear them must surely be a breach of 'Health and Safety'.

Also discrimination as they aren't forcing men

[L.A.]

Also discrimination as they aren't forcing men

I think it is probably illegal for an employer to force any employee to do something that is known to be unhealthy.

[Khatru]

No doubt the company will try and argue indirect sex discrimination objectively justified by their dress code.

I doubt it would see them through a tribunal hearing though.

[Brownie]

Definitely not.  Low heeled shows can be very dressy and smart and its important to have comfortable feet at work  Men don't have that problem.

I often wonder how the duchess of Cambridge manages to go all over the place wearing such high heels, and looks good in them;  she's got it off to a fine

No doubt the company will try and argue indirect sex discrimination objectively justified by their dress code.

I doubt it would see them through a tribunal hearing though.

art but I bet the shoes come off and feet massaged as soon as she is home.

[Khatru]

I think it is probably illegal for an employer to force any employee to do something that is known to be unhealthy.

Yup.

Even if the risks to your health turns out to be unfounded, it's an automatic unfair dismissal.

[john]

Good god how awful

They'll be insisting on stockings and suspenders next.

[Harrowby Hall]

I find it difficult to believe that this kind of discriminatory treatment by employers has not already been challenged.

When my late wife started teaching over 40 years ago, she received a complaint from a head teacher when she decided to wear trousers in the classroom. She was rather short and did not consider the sight of her underwear when having to stretch - or even stand on a stool - to reach the top of a blackboard or pin up display material was appropriate in the classroom. The head teacher hadn't even considered the possibility but did respect her right to her dignity.

[L.A.]

I find it difficult to believe that this kind of discriminatory treatment by employers has not already been challenged.

I think it is worse than discrimination, it's equivalent to telling employees that they have to smoke.

http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/womens-health/Pages/high-heels.aspx

http://www.moneycrashers.com/dangers-wearing-high-heels-tips/

[ippy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36264229

I thought that was disgraceful on two counts.

Firstly high heels are bad for your back and posture.

Secondly, it's forcing women to become sex objects again 

A lot of women avoid high heels because of the discomfort.

They can also lead to corns and bunions.

I wonder if this company would be prepared to foot the bill for sorting out  those.

Plus if you fell down the stairs in them, wouldn't they be liable under health and safety?

 

I would like to see the actual person that specified wearing high heels interviewed on by the TV companies and made to explain, himself, it must have been a bloke.

Now if he'd said low cut__________

ippy 

[L.A.]

I would like to see the actual person that specified wearing high heals interviewed on by the TV companies and made to explain, himself, it must have been a bloke.

I'd like to see him charged under the Health and safety at work act.

[ippy]

I'd like to see him charged under the Health and safety at work act.

I've just heard on the news that these actions about high heels are within the law, crazy law, I would have thought that a smart and personable appearence would be a fair requirement to expect for that kind of job and other than the necessary ability; why high heels?

ippy

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Women should be as free as men to wear whatever footwear they like as they have freedoms as men to produce shit journalism.

[L.A.]

I've just heard on the news that these actions about high heels are within the law, crazy law, I would have thought that a smart and personable appearence would be a fair requirement to expect for that kind of job and other than the necessary ability; why high heels?

ippy

I don't see how it can be within the law, the employer is telling the employee to do something that is detrimental to their health - that must be illegal.

[Hope]

Even if the risks to your health turns out to be unfounded,...

They won't be, Khat; they're already too well documented.

What I find somewhat odd is that there are plenty of companies and firms where high heels, whilst not being officially banned, are unofficially discouraged - for a number of reasons.  Why should this company be any different, I wonder?

[Bubbles]

Ouch!

https://www.facebook.com/nicola.gavins/posts/10156847278270162

I know that's not the uk, but still.....

[Bubbles]

I don't see how it can be within the law, the employer is telling the employee to do something that is detrimental to their health - that must be illegal.

Apparently not.

I don't think it's reasonable to ask a woman to wear something which is going to harm her long term.

You can get some very smart low heeled shoes.

The high heel thing is all about power dressing and company image.

Personally I think if a company forces it on female employees then it should pick up the bills for private treatment of bunions and bad backs etc.

It's the sort of dress code you would get if you were a bunny girl 

[Rhiannon]

There are connotations with heels that don't exist with flats. It's a very odd thing to demand in the workplace.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

The company involved have changed there policy ............another triumph of public solidarity over things that barely matter............

[Rhiannon]

You know what it's like to wear heels all day?

As it happens I like heels. But I shouldn't be forced to wear them. Not when there are men out there who think it's acceptable to come up to me and tell me they want me to walk across their back in them.

This story's particularly creepy as it involves a receptionist - someone with very little power in an organisation.

[Bubbles]

You know what it's like to wear heels all day?

As it happens I like heels. But I shouldn't be forced to wear them. Not when there are men out there who think it's acceptable to come up to me and tell me they want me to walk across their back in them.

This story's particularly creepy as it involves a receptionist - someone with very little power in an organisation.

If you didn't like them you could make it stilettos and stamp hard. 

 

Do blokes really say that to women?

I'm not sure a bloke would survive if I walked up his back in a pair of high heels. He'd never walk again, probably.

He'd get laughed at by his mates as they carried him off, for being so daft 

[L.A.]

Apparently not.

I don't think it's reasonable to ask a woman to wear something which is going to harm her long term.

You can get some very smart low heeled shoes.

The high heel thing is all about power dressing and company image.

Personally I think if a company forces it on female employees then it should pick up the bills for private treatment of bunions and bad backs etc.

It's the sort of dress code you would get if you were a bunny girl 

It would be interesting to see how it went if it were tested in court. As someone pointed out, some companies actually ban high heals on safety grounds and there are plenty of experts available to testify of the dangers.

If your employer instructs you to do something that is dangerous he is breaking the law.

[Harrowby Hall]

  Why should this company be any different, I wonder?

Because they want to gain an advantage with clients. They want their front of house staff to give male clients a sexual thrill - it might sway their judgement when making decisions.

I'm surprised they don't make male staff wear codpieces!