Summer Dress Code & Reduced Hours

Happy business people splashing water in summer with their feetAs the trees and flowers bloom and become more robust, the clothing our employees wear to work seems to become less– and more risqué. This is also the time when employees begin to ask for time off for summer vacations, or if there will be any shortened workweeks.

 

Before it becomes an issue, it is time to put a dress code in place for the summer. Many businesses establish a different set of rules for summer dress designed to allow employees to be a little more casual. Putting a policy out there that talks more about the don’ts and a bit about the do’s will help avert a landslide of potential issues in the coming months.

 

Additionally, beginning Memorial Day and ending Labor Day weekend, it is not too uncommon to find “Summer Hours” as a practice within businesses. The first and most common scenario is one where the scheduled workday is extended by an hour M-TH and then all employees are free to leave for the day on Fridays at 1:00 p.m. Another approach is to maintain the same work schedule as per normal, but offer a specific number of 1:00 p.m. (or similar) departure times on a set number of Fridays to be taken at the discretion of the employee and the employer. Be sure to consult with an HR professional as to how wages may be impacted (if at all) during these arrangements.