Indian firm fines employees ₹500 for not wearing 'traditional' attire
What's the story
An Indian company has sparked a debate on social media after it was revealed that the firm is fining employees for not wearing traditional attire on Fridays. The policy, dubbed "Traditional Fridays," requires regular employees to pay ₹100 and senior management members to pay ₹500 if they don't comply with the dress code. The money collected from these fines goes into the company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund.
Legal concerns
Employee questions legality of the policy
The policy was announced through an email from the HR department, which sparked frustration among employees. One employee took to social media to express their frustration over the directive and questioned its legality. They explained that the company had first introduced casual Fridays, then changed it to formal or traditional wear. The employee also said they don't own Indian attire and aren't willing to spend money on it.
Public response
Social media reactions to the policy
The post about the company's policy drew a lot of reactions from other social media users. Some suggested a blunt response to HR, while others questioned the legality of such a move. One user even suggested paying the fine but demanding proper documentation in return, creating a detailed paper trail. Others responded humorously, suggesting alternatives like wearing a kimono as traditional attire.
Backlash
Criticism of the company's approach
The company's approach has been widely criticized on Reddit, with many users saying that fining employees for clothing choices is coercion, even if the money goes to CSR. A self-proclaimed lawyer said, "A company cannot impose fines on their employees for a certain work attire. Also, CSR is a legal obligation on a company, not its employees." Others questioned how such a policy could be enforced fairly across different cultural backgrounds or comfort levels with traditional attire at work.