Legal Question in Employment Law in California
Cut hours for dress code
After starting a retail job with full time hours, I was asked to wear that stores clothes, which was not on the dress code policy. After mentioning countless times I should wear that stores specific clothing my hours were cut to as low as seven hours a week. I know it is illegal to ask me to wear their clothes, as did they, but they cut my hours so much I was forced to quit. Is there any sort of legal action I could take?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Cut hours for dress code
You are correct, it is unlawful for an employer to require an employee to patronize its store. Clearly, a retaliatory firing for refusing to do so would be grounds for a wrongful termination suit. If your work hours were cut so severely that no reasonable person would have continued to work under those conditions, a good argument could be made that you were "constructively terminated", which is the same as though the employer fired you. You should have your case reviewed by an experienced employment law attorney in your area as soon as possible.