Starbucks is facing legal challenges from employees in three states who say the company’s new dress code forced them to spend their own money on work clothes without reimbursement. Class-action lawsuits were filed in Illinois and Colorado this week, while workers in California submitted complaints to the state’s Labour and Workforce Development Agency, with plans to sue if regulators decline to act.
At the heart of the dispute is a dress code rolled out earlier this year across Starbucks’ North American stores. The policy requires employees to wear plain black shirts, khaki or dark denim bottoms, and waterproof shoes in muted colours. It also restricts personal expression, banning more than one facial piercing, face tattoos, tongue piercings and “theatrical” makeup. Workers say noncompliance means being barred from starting shifts.
Employees argue the stricter rules violate state laws that require companies to cover costs for employer-mandated clothing. According to lawsuits, many staff members—already struggling with low wages—had to spend hundreds of dollars to meet the standards. One California worker reported spending over $140 on shoes and clothing in a single month, while another in Illinois sought reimbursement for removing a nose piercing. Requests for compensation were denied.
The new policy has already fueled unrest. In May, more than 1,000 employees staged strikes at 75 stores to protest the uniform requirements. Union representatives maintain that such sweeping changes should be subject to collective bargaining.
The lawsuits mark a shift in strategy for Starbucks employees, who have spent years pushing for union recognition and better working conditions. While the union has filed numerous labour practice complaints at the federal level, workers are increasingly turning to state courts to press their case.
