Policy 205: Workplace Attire

Category: Personnel
Covered Individuals: All CEI Employees
Approved: 2022-09-26

Policy 205: Workplace Attire Policy

Formerly Approved: 12/11/2019

205.1 Policy

The College of Eastern Idaho administration expects employees to project a professional image to students, parents, business associates, and the general public. Workplace attire must be neat, clean, and appropriate for the work being performed and for the setting in which the work is performed. Uniforms may be required for select positions. Dress and hygiene standards are intended to enhance the image CEI exhibits for the community it serves. As representatives of CEI, employees are encouraged to utilize this policy as a guideline and to use their best judgement according to environmental circumstances.

205.2 Guidelines

The CEI dress code is business casual unless events, special guests, or meetings require business formal. Business casual attire allows the employee to feel comfortable, yet always look neat and professional. The following list is a guideline of appropriate and inappropriate attire under CEI’s business casual attire standards. These are examples only. Supervisors may determine if employees are dressed inappropriately for the workplace within this policy.

Appropriate Attire Examples:

• Dress Shirts
• Blouses
• Polo shirts
• Slacks and trousers
• Skirts and dresses
• Sweaters/cardigans
• Sandals, flat shoes, and loafers

Inappropriate Attire Examples:

• Flip-flops
• Spaghetti straps, muscle shirts, halter tops
• Leggings, when worn as pants
• Tight, see-through, backless, or low cut tops
• Athletic wear including sweat pants or yoga pants
• Clothing that is ripped, frayed, stained, or messy
• Baseball caps
• Any clothing with words, terms, or pictures that advertises other companies and/or products

CEI employees shall wear and appropriately display nametags when at an event that includes the public such as an employment fair, student recruitment, or registration.

Workplace attire should continue to be business casual during the spring and summer months, except on Fridays when dress down guidelines can be observed.

Dress Down Days

CEI observes Fridays and the academic Christmas and Spring breaks as dress down days in order to cultivate and nurture a spirit of teamwork and unity among faculty, staff, and students. On the identified observances, denim may be worn. However, the denim must be free of holes, frays, etc. Shirts should bear the CEI logo and/or be CEI colors and should fit within the standards of dignity for a business and educational setting. Shorts and flip-flops are not an acceptable form of casual attire in the workplace.

It is important to remember events taking place on Fridays and/or during the identified break periods and in some cases, it may be necessary to dress in normal business attire on these days.

Participation in dress down days is never required.

Personal Hygiene Standards

CEI employees must maintain and practice good hygiene.  Offensive body odor, poor personal hygiene, or excessive perfumes/colognes are not professionally acceptable.

Addressing Workplace Attire and Hygiene Problems

Department supervisors are responsible for monitoring their employee’s compliance to the dress and hygiene standards. Violations of the CEI dress standards expressed herein shall be brought to the immediate attention of the employee. Violations shall be discussed in private with the employee. Employees who continue to violate the CEI dress or personal hygiene standards could be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

205.3 Exception to Policy

An exception to this policy may be made on a case-by-case basis for employees under the American with Disabilities Act or those with a medical condition which requires certain apparel. To receive an exception, employees must provide HR with a request for accommodation from an appropriate healthcare provider.

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