Dress Code Guidelines
- Authorized By: District Director of Health
- Initial Effective Date: 10/1/2011(LMS)
- Replaces: New Policy
- Reviewed:
- Revised: 8/1/2016 (LMS), 1/1/2018 (LMS), 8/17/2021 (LMS); Moved to Google Sites 8/17/2021; Revised 3/3/2022 (GM+SD), 10/26/2023 (JLM)
- Contact: Human Resources Administrator
Guidelines
General Guidelines
The following are some general guidelines concerning dress and personal appearance for all employees:
Clothing and footwear must be clean and in good repair and fastened appropriately
Clothing must be modest, fit properly, and may not reveal undergarments, the midriff, or private body parts
Clothing must be free from writing, decals, and pictures except for small logos (such as NKY Health's logo)
Clothing, accessories, and fingernails must not post a safety hazard or interfere with work duties
Clothing and accessories must comply with OSHA and safety standards
Clothing, makeup, hair, accessories and body art must be business-appropriate
Perfume/cologne may be used in moderation
Hair must appear to be clean and well-groomed
Facial hair must appear to be clean and neatly trimmed
Directors may specify additional requirements depending on job duties
We realize that different work activities dictate different types of dress requirements. Therefore, we have developed minimum standards of dress based on the type of work you are performing. We have also broken down types of dress into three categories: business, business casual, and casual.
The "Examples" section below lists some work activities and examples with the minimum dress standards for each activity. The "Acceptable Attire" section below lists examples for each of the three types of dress standards we have identified (Business, Business Casual, and Casual).
We recognize that personal taste, cultural and style trends may vary and we hope that you will realize that these guidelines are not meant to infringe on personal expression but that they are also not all-inclusive. When in doubt about the appropriateness of attire for a work situation, ask your supervisor prior to wearing it. If s/he has doubt, s/he may refer the matter to the Division Director, who may refer the matter to the Human Resources Administrator. The intent is consistent District-wide enforcement of this policy.
Exceptions to Guidelines
Exceptions may be made for religious or medical reasons with sufficient documentation and on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances.
Please contact Human Resources if you need an exception.
Failure to Abide by Guidelines
Anyone who fails to abide by these guidelines, may be sent home to change clothes without pay and/or subject to disciplinary action.
Examples
Examples of Work Activities and Minimum Dress Standards
Media Contact (On Camera) = Business
Participating in Professional Meetings (Including Interviews) = Business Casual
Providing Professional Clinical Services = Business Casual or Scrubs OR Nursing Uniform
Treating Clients in Health Centers
Treating Clients in Community Clinical Setting
Home Visits
Disaster Response
Providing Support Services in a Clinical Setting = Business Casual or Scrubs
Checking Clients In/Out
Interpreting
Reception
Performing General Office Duties in an Office or Clinical Setting = Casual
Reception
Typing
Filing
Report Writing
Data Entry
Phone Calls
Other = Casual
Non-Clinical field / maintenance inspections
Building Maintenance or Housekeeping
Courier
Moving Furniture, Files, etc.
Cleaning Out Storage Areas
Acceptable Attire
Acceptable / Unacceptable Business Attire
Acceptable:
Suits, Sports Coats, and Blazers with Coordinating Bottoms in this List
Tailored Dress Slacks
Dress Shirts (such as button-down shirts, turtlenecks, mock turtlenecks)
Ties
Tailored Dresses or Dresses
Blouses, Tailored Sweaters, and Shells
Dress Skirts, Split Skirts, and Tailored Skorts
Dress Shoes, Boots
Unacceptable:
Anything Listed Under Business Casual
Anything Listed Under Casual
Acceptable / Unacceptable Business Casual Attire
Acceptable:
Chinos, Dockers
Attire with an NKY Health Logo
Dressy T-Shirts
Non-Tailored Dresses and Jumpers
Tailored Jeans
Knit Pants
Coulottes, Skorts, and Skirts
Capri Pants
Casual Button-Down Shirts
Polo-Style Shirts with Collars
Sweaters and Cardigans
Sweatshirts with Collars, Fancy Designs, etc.
Sleeveless Tops
Clogs and Uniform Shoes
Sandals in an Office Setting
Sneakers
Unacceptable:
Anything Listed Under Casual
Plain Sweatshirts
Distressed or ripped jeans
Leather/Leather-Look pants
Leather/Leather-Look tops
Leather/Leather-Look skirts
Mini-Skirts or Mini-Skorts
Leggings Without a Long Top
Halter Tops
Spaghetti Straps or Strapless Tops
Revealing Slits and/or Necklines
Decorated/Lighted Sneakers
Footwear that Poses a Safety Risk (e.g. footwear with holes or exposed toes in a clinic or home visiting setting, non-slip-resistant footwear at a pool inspection, cloth footwear in a caustic enrivonment, etc.)
Acceptable / Unacceptable Casual Attire
Acceptable:
Jeans or “5-pocket” Pants in Any Color
Shorts
Sweatshirts
Plain T-Shirts Without Collars
Athletic Shoes
Workboots
Unacceptable:
Sweatpants
Exercise Clothing
Tank Tops, Backless Halter Tops, and Muscle Shirts
T-Shirts with Decals and/or Writing
Footwear that Poses a Safety Risk (e.g. footwear with holes or exposed toes in a clinic or home visiting setting, non-slip-resistant footwear at a pool inspection, cloth footwear in a caustic enrivonment, etc.)
Revision Log
6/8/2023
Added Revision Log.
10/26/2023
Removed requirement to wear lab coat and to designate color of scrubs.