When Nicola Thorpe turned up for her first day’s work as a receptionist at PwC’s global headquarters in London, she was sent home without pay for wearing the wrong shoes.
The problem, according to managers from the staffing agency Portico — which supplies workers to the professional services firm — was that Ms Thorpe’s footwear was flat. She then refused to go out and buy the heels that are part of the agency’s dress code: between 2in and 4in.
To be fair, some employment lawyers say this kind of dress code is not illegal as long as men and women have to meet a similar level of “smartness”. Men can be required to wear a jacket and tie, for example, even when women are not.