Most healthcare employers require employees to wear some sort of
uniform. Of course, the most familiar uniforms in this setting are
"scrubs," but some employers require lab coats or other
garments.
Some healthcare employers also require that uniforms be cleaned
daily and be wrinkle-free. Does the clean and wrinkle-free
requirement mean that employees must be paid for the time they
spend washing and ironing their uniforms? That issue lies at the
center of a recent lawsuit filed under the federal Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA) against a nursing home facility in
Pennsylvania. Guerra v. Heartland Employment Services
LLC.
Professional Appearance and Dress-Code Policy
According to the complaint, the nursing home adopted a
"Professional Appearance and Dress Code" policy that
requires employees to show up for work each day in a clean,
wrinkle-free uniform. Employees allegedly were forced to purchase
the uniforms from a single approved vendor, were not provided
