Hacker News Reader

Comment by lsiunsuex | Hacker News Reader

And dress code. At least we have cubes; but until last month, we had to dress business casual. Now for $15 / month donation to a charity the company chooses, we can wear jeans all month. No big deal in the summer when it's 60-90F but wearing dress pants to work when it's 5F and 3 feet of snow is really crappy.

If it didn't change soon, I was considering leaving; it did last month, so no real plans to move right now, lol... (I don't mind the $15 / month so long as it goes to a good cause and the vast majority of the employees (400+) are choosing to do it)

View on HN

Funny, I’ve worked for decades in places with zero dress code, where they actually encourage jeans and sneakers, and have voluntarily worn business casual or nicer for 99% of that time. Nothing against the shorts-and-flipflops brigade, just personal preference. It’s nice to have a choice, and we techies should consider ourselves lucky to be in an industry that, with a few exceptions, shuns dress codes!

I haven't had a job with a dress code in about 6 years now, and I've drawn a line in the sand that I won't do it. The AC broke in the building I was working in (which was in Dallas), and I nearly passed out because of all the sweating I did.

I find it a bit bizarre that companies will require dress codes for people that never have to interface with clients. If I'm never viewed from the outside world, how exactly is it hurting anyone for me to wear a T-Shirt? I can't quite tell if it's some kind of bizarre power play, or they genuinely feel like it helps the employees, and I suppose I'll never find out.

What? I would forgo the donation, and wear jeans anyway. For me it smells of coercion to fund something.

It's usually cancer institutes; pet rescues, shelters, etc... The employees submit suggestions where to donate every month and the business chooses 1 every month. Not like it's going to a shell company or some other ridiculous movie story plot, lol...

You're probably right, but are you getting the tax deduction for donating, or is your employer?

400 * 15 * 12 = 72,000 / yr that your employer may be deducting from wages on the backs of their employees... voluntary or not.

Then they get to advertise their generosity and optional dress code.

I hate thinking pessimistically like this, but you get conned enough times... and it's not like they actually need a dress code, if they're comfortable with taking money for people not abiding by it.

Always thought that jeans is business casual, at least on the West Coast

Maybe it's regional - on the East Coast, business casual is dress pants / dress shoes and a polo / button down shirt - sleeve length doesn't matter. Women - dresses / skirts - they can wear pants / blouses if they choose.

Casual is usually jeans / polos / non-offensive t-shirts / sandals (no thong flip flops)

At my company - t-shirts with sports on them (football, hockey, etc...) are allowed. I'm about to test the envelop and see if I can wear a polo from a recent race car event I went to. Racing is a sport, and the polo is nice, but due to the nature of racing, it's covered in company logos - Ferarri, Infinity, etc... The front is not so bad, few logos on either chest. The back is kinda loud.

We'll see...

(to add, no one is customer facing...)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com