Dress code leaves staff hot

Library Administrator's Digest, Sep 2002

Queens Borough Public Library (QBPL) unionized staff staged a rally July 31 outside the central library in Jamaica to protest a dress code that went into effect July 1, as well as highlight continued salary issues. Holding handmade signs that read "Dress Code: Lawyer; Pay Code: Pauper," librarians contend that the code, which forbids apparel such as miniskirts, sandals, blue denim and T-- shirts, forces them to spend money on wardrobes they can't afford because they are underpaid. Visible body piercing and tattoos also are forbidden. Female librarians are particularly angered because they think the new rules are primarily aimed at them: their male counterparts are obliged to wear ties, but jackets are optional, while skirts must cover thighs. New York has been suffering through a stifling hot summer, and not all branches have good air conditioning. QBPL, however, said that most of the policy actually has been in effect since 1993 - though union leaders note that it was long unenforced. "People have gotten lax over time and some things needed clarification," QBPL spokeswoman Joanne King declared. "When they drew up the policy in 1993, body piercing wasn't an issue, it's an issue now."

New York Times, August 6, 2002