Gap to Settle Dress Code Case
Gap Inc. has agreed to settle a classaction lawsuit filed by employees of 500 of the company’s California stores. The workers claim Gap violated labor laws when it required employees to buy company-made clothing to wear at work, said Patrick Kitchin, a San Francisco attorney representing the plaintiffs.
At issue in the case is whether or not Gap clothing was considered to be part of a company uniform. State labor laws require that companies pay for their employees’ uniforms, but Gap officials did not consider the plain clothes the employees wore to be uniforms.
Company officials declined to comment on the case. Kitchin said terms of the settlement are currently being negotiated and must be approved by the state Superior Court.
Kitchin has participated in similar cases. He is also fighting the Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., representing a client who said she spends up to one-third of her salary on Polo clothing to wear on the job as required by the company. —R.M.
