If your employer imposes a dress code, do they have to reimburse you for the costs of your new clothes? That question is at the core of a lawsuit by Starbucks employees against the coffee giant.
The ubiquitous coffee chain implemented a new dress code in May 2025. Some employees are now demanding reimbursement for the cost of compliance with the standardized dress code.
Employees, backed by their union, Starbucks Workers United, are taking legal action in Colorado and Illinois, and filed a complaint with the California Labor Board in September. The plaintiffs claim that Starbucks did not reimburse them for their clothing. The lawsuits may hinge on what is considered a uniform and what is considered ordinary clothing.
What Is the New Starbucks Dress Code?
Under the new dress code policy, baristas must wear a solid black shirt (short or long sleeves), collared, button-up, or crewneck, and bottoms that are black, khaki, or blue denim. The idea behind the standardized dress code is to feature more prominently the green apron, which is Starbucks’ staple. The Starbucks’ dress code also bans face tattoos and limits theatrical makeup (i.e., no false eyelashes), and facial piercings “no larger than the size of a dime.”
The new CEO, Brian Niccol, made this change as part of his “Back to Starbucks” strategy to reverse a decline in sales and promote uniformity and professionalism in Starbucks’ stores.
Employer dress codes are nothing new. The Walt Disney Company has strict standards for its cast members who must comply with the “Disney Look.” Their dress code policy includes prohibiting face, head, or neck tattoos and visible tattoos that are larger than the cast member’s hand. They also do not allow hair colors that do not occur in nature, so no hot pink, purple, blue, or green hair.
The Key Question: Is the Dress Code Standardized or a Uniform?
A standardized dress code provides general guidelines for acceptable attire, outlining what employees can and cannot wear. For instance, a catering company may require employees to wear a white button-down shirt and black pants. In contrast, a uniform is a specific set of clothing that is identical for all employees and usually features the company logo or branding. For example, all UPS drivers wear an identical brown uniform with the UPS logo.
Uniforms are used to promote a brand or to easily recognize an employee. Best Buy employees and Apple employees wear blue-branded shirts. Uniforms also help people identify a service or safety worker, such as a police officer, flight attendant, or EMT.
Standardized dress codes promote uniformity and professionalism by restricting clothing choices but generally allow ordinary or "street clothes" — clothes employees might already own and wear outside of work. Uniforms, by contrast, require specific outfits intended only for the workplace.
If, for example, a Mexican restaurant required employees to wear large sombreros as part of their dress code, that would not be considered ordinary street wear. Similarly, Starbucks requires employees to wear their branded green aprons, which is not something someone would wear outside their workplace.
The Rules for Uniform and Dress Code Reimbursements
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulates employees' working conditions, including wages, hours, and employee classifications, among other things. The FLSA prohibits employers from deducting uniform expenses if it causes the employees' wages to drop below minimum wage. Many state laws require that a uniform that is not ordinary street clothing must be paid for by the employer. Under California’s Labor Code, if an employer requires a uniform, they must provide it to their employees for free. In New York, an employer must reimburse the employee for the cost of their uniform and for the cost of maintenance if it is not a “wash and wear” item.
Under these rules, however, costs for ordinary street clothing are not the employer’s responsibility. Starbucks can argue that a black shirt and jeans are common streetwear and probably in most people's closets. As such, they are not liable for reimbursing their employees for their clothes. They can also point out that as part of the dress code rollout, they provided two shirts for each employee.
But if Starbucks required employees to wear a black shirt with a Starbucks logo, that could be considered a uniform and one that Starbucks would have to provide it to the employee or reimburse the employee for the cost.
What Employees Should Know
It is legal for an employer to require a dress code or uniform. If your employer requires a uniform, they cannot make you pay for it if it reduces your income below the legal minimum wage. If your uniform requires special care, such as dry cleaning, your employer may have to reimburse you for those costs.
If your employer enforces a dress code, they do not have to reimburse you for your clothing unless it is a uniquely distinctive attire.
Related Resources
- Find an Employment Lawyer Near Me Now (FindLaw Attorney Directory)
- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FindLaw Learn About the Law)
- Best Practices for Your Business’s Dress Code (FindLaw Law and Daily Life Blog)
