October 25, 2016

Moving on to more important government issues

Herald Leader, KY - Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration has banned flip-flops and exposed midriffs in a new dress code for Kentucky’s more than 31,000 executive branch employees.


Personnel Secretary Thomas B. Stephens set the policy, which took effect Oct. 16, for all state workers in the executive branch. Violators could face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article110173732.html?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark#storylink=cpy

Jodi Whitaker, a spokeswoman for the Personnel Cabinet, said Monday that individual state cabinets may initiate policies with more stringent guidelines based on their needs, but all must follow the four points in Stephens’ code.

Under the policy for all executive branch employees, workers must carry or wear identification badges or other agency-identifying clothing. No one can wear flip-flops in the workplace, tops that expose the midriff or clothing with large commercial logos or offensive language. An employee may seek accommodations for religious, medical or disability-related needs.

Whitaker said the policy would allow a polo shirt that has a small university logo but not a shirt that has an oversized name of a business.

Stephens warned that any employee who violates the policy “will be required to take corrective action, which may include leaving the work premises, and may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.”

On Oct. 4, Stephens implemented a more stringent dress code for the 206 employees in the Personnel Cabinet.

It bans jeans, sweatpants, pajama pants, exercise pants, camouflage pants and shorts for its workers. Casual dresses and skirts must be at a length at or below the knee with no spaghetti-strap dresses unless covered by a jacket or sweater, and men’s dress shirts must be tucked in, but polo-type shirts may be left untucked. Also taboo are tank tops, halter tops, midriff-showing tops or tops with extremely low necklines, and clothing with offensive or oversized words.

Labor Secretary Derrick Ramsey, who wore a football uniform during his playing days in the National Football League and at the University of Kentucky, notified cabinet employees of the new dress code on Oct. 19.

Top officials in the Labor Cabinet are to dress in business attire. That means a business suit, or slacks and a jacket, with a dress shirt, tie and dress shoes for men, and suits with skirts or slacks with a blouse, dressy top and/or jacket or dress sweater with flats or dress shoes for women.

Informal business attire — such as slacks, khakis, chinos or Dockers-style twill pants with a dress shirt or polo shirt with a jacket or sweater for men and skirts or slacks with a blouse, dressy top and/or sweater or jacket for women — may be worn on Fridays by top officials unless they are to meet with the governor’s office, the legislature, the public, or outside agency management.

No comments: