PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES MANUAL Division: PRC NO: DRESS CODE GUIDELINES Type: Authority: Approved By: ☒ Guideline ☒ Administrative ☒ Department Head Office of Primary Responsibility: PRC - Administration Date Adopted: Date to be Reviewed: 2013-09-16 Annually PURPOSE: The Department objective is to establish dress guidelines which allows employees to work comfortably in the workplace but also projects a professional image for the District and the customers who use the services of the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department. It is understood that each area in the Department may have specific requirements and these have been taken into consideration in developing the guidelines. This is a general overview of appropriate attire. The listings are not all- inclusive as a dress guideline cannot cover all contingencies. The listings explain what is generally acceptable and what is generally not acceptable. Staff still must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you are uncertain about what is acceptable please ask your supervisor. These guidelines do not replace the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required for some jobs. Guidelines: General Guidelines (applicable to all areas) • Clothing that is suited for the beach, exercise class (excluding fitness instructors), yard work and dance clubs is not suitable for the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department workplace. • Clothing that reveals cleavage, your back, your chest, your stomach or your underwear when performing any aspect of your job is not appropriate. • Clothing that is overly wrinkled, torn, dirty, frayed is unacceptable. • When staff clothing is provided as take home clothing, staff are expected to launder their own uniforms. • Clothing that has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive to other employees is unacceptable. Sports team, university and fashion brand names on clothing are generally acceptable. Logo wear from the District of Mission is acceptable but not from other municipalities. Page 1 of 5 DRESS CODE GUIDELINES PRC • Certain days can be declared dress down days, ie Casual Fridays or Jersey Days. On these days, jeans and other more casual clothing is permitted, however it may not be offensive to others and must be clean and presentable. • Hats are not to be worn indoors but are recommended for those who are working outdoors (parks staff) for extended periods of time. Hats will be provided for outside staff to wear. Head covers that are required for religious purposes or to honour cultural tradition are exempt from this policy. • Jewelry and makeup must be in good taste with limited visible body piercing and tattoos. • Perfumes or colognes, excluding deodorants which are recommended, are not permitted as staff and members of the public may be sensitive or allergic to them. • It is expected that all staff will conform to the safety requirements of their job relative to the dress guideline. Personal Protective Equipment such as boots, hard hats, gloves, etc will be clarified by your supervisor. Reception/Administration Office (including Recreation Leaders and Programmers) • Vests and/or shirts provided to reception staff and recreation programmers and leaders are required to be worn when interacting with the public. Discretion is allowed in certain circumstances where room temperatures or activities are not conducive to wearing the shirt/vest. • Dress pants are acceptable, including dressy capris. Inappropriate pants include blue jeans, sweatpants, exercise/yoga pants, shorts (including Bermuda shorts), bib overalls, leggings and spandex. Coloured denim is acceptable and leggings provided they are covered by a tunic or dress that has a length at or below your finger-tips when standing with your hands at your sides. • Dresses and skirts that are at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, sun dresses, beach dresses and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate. • Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf shirts and turtlenecks are acceptable attire. Tank tops, midriff tops, shirts with offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons or slogans, halter tops, tops with bare shoulders, sweatshirts and t-shirts unless worn under a blouse, shirt, jacket or dress are unacceptable. • Athletic shoes, loafers, clogs, boots, flats and modest dress heels are acceptable. Open toe dress shoes are acceptable but flip flops, sandals and slippers are not appropriate attire. Skate Patrol • Jackets and golf shirts provided are to be worn on and off the ice. • Helmets are required to be worn on the ice. Program Staff (contract employees) Page 2 of 5 DRESS CODE GUIDELINES PRC • Dress pants are acceptable, including dressy capris. Inappropriate pants include jeans, sweatpants, exercise/yoga pants, shorts (including Bermuda shorts), bib overalls, leggings and spandex. Coloured denim is acceptable and leggings provided they are covered by a tunic or dress that has a length at or below your finger-tips when standing with your hands at your sides. Dresses and skirts that are at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, skorts, sun dresses, beach dresses and spaghetti- strap dresses are inappropriate. • Youth Lounge Staff may wear blue or coloured jeans and are required to wear the vests provided. • Club Kids and Camp Staff are required to wear the shirts provided and may wear blue or coloured jeans if conducive to the activity they are leading, shorts are preferred in the summer months. If on the pool deck staff are expected to also have their shirt on and wear shorts and if in the water they should wear a swim suit suitable for active play with camp participants. • Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf shirts, sweatshirts and turtlenecks are acceptable attire. Tank tops, midriff tops, shirts with offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons or slogans, halter tops and tops with bare shoulders are unacceptable. • Athletic shoes, loafers, clogs, boots, flats and dress heels are acceptable. Open toe dress shoes are acceptable but flip flops, sandals and slippers are not appropriate attire. • For some activities and in particular during the summer months shorts may be appropriate and permitted provided that they mid-thigh or lower in length and do not impede the employees ability to safely perform their duties. A general guideline for short length is at or below your fingertips when standing with your hands at your sides. • From time to time Program Staff will be required to be actively involved in special events or activities for which the above guidelines are not conducive to performing the tasks. They may alter their dress accordingly while still adhering to the General Guidelines. Aquatic Staff • Aquatic Staff are required to wear the uniforms provided to them – including shorts, shirts and swim suits. Wetsuits are acceptable for teaching. Lifeguards are not to wear their uniform shirts and shorts in the water while teaching as it damages the uniform. • Appropriate footwear suitable for the tasks to be performed, must be worn by lifeguards at all times when not in the water. Footwear must: have good traction on wet surfaces, be affixed at four points, toe, heel and sides, be clean and non-marking soles and allow the wearer to perform standard lifeguard procedures. When staff are hosing floors, bare feet is acceptable. Flip flops are not regarded as suitable footwear. Fitness Staff Page 3 of 5 DRESS CODE GUIDELINES PRC • Fitness Staff (weight room attendants) are required to wear the vests provided and wear either black or white shirts under them. • Exercise pants/yoga pants and other athletic pants are acceptable attire. Athletic shorts at mid- thigh or lower are also acceptable. Black or dark coloured pants/shorts are recommended. Form fitting clothing for instructing fitness classes is acceptable provided that it covers the chest and midriff without cleavage or underwear showing. A shorter length short is acceptable and swim suits are acceptable for aquafit classes. Swim suits that cover cleavage and midriff are acceptable for teaching aquafit classes. Jeans, overalls, baggy sweat pants, dress pants, dress shirts and dresses are not appropriate. • Athletic running shoes are required and are the only shoe to be worn by Fitness Staff. Leisure Centre Maintenance Staff • Maintenance Staff are required to wear the shirts, jackets, pants and boots provided. Shorts and hats are not permitted to be worn. • The amount of jewelry worn by maintenance staff should be limited and consideration must be given as to potential to be caught in tools or machinery facilitating an injury. Any jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings that dangle are not permitted. Parks Staff • Parks Staff are required to wear the clothing provided to them appropriate to the job they are performing – ie. reflective gear when out in boulevards, steel toed rubber boots for snow clearing, gloves, etc. If wearing overalls, shirts with a sleeve (t-shirt style sleeve) must be worn under the overalls. Tank tops are not permitted under overalls. • During the summer months shorts are permitted provided that they mid-thigh or lower in length and do not impede the employees ability to safely perform their duties. A general guideline for short length is at or below your fingertips when standing with your hands at your sides. • The amount of jewelry worn by staff should be limited and consideration must be given as to potential to be caught in tools or machinery facilitating an injury. Any jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings that dangle are not permitted. If clothing fails to meet the guidelines as determined by the employee’s supervisor, the employee may be asked to go home and change or may be asked not to wear the in appropriate item to work again.