Who has to pay for kitchen work clothes?

Almost every catering professional wears kitchen outfits. However, a question always arises: who should pay for the purchase and maintenance of these professional clothes? Do employees have to get their personal protective equipment themselves, or do employers take care of it?

Who is responsible for PPE? Does the employer have to provide work clothes?

Everyone can impose the wearing of a work uniform, whether in collective catering, hotels, bars, fast food, etc. Thus, if the employer has deemed that the latter is necessary, he must bear all the costs.

It is therefore up to the employer to take care of the entire cost of purchasing workwear of his team. Indeed, employees do not participate in the purchase of required professional clothing. In very rare cases, the employer may ask workers to procure their own protective equipment.

What are the mandatory items of kitchen attire?

The kitchen outfits include several elements, to be chosen according to your needs and the requirements of your job. You will find the women's kitchen jackets and men's which exist in several colours, and come with short or long sleeves.

To complete your outfit, choose matching kitchen pants your jacket. Choose from houndstooth pants, eco-friendly and breathable styles, plaid or denim kitchen pants, and classic black or white pants.

A kitchen outfit also consists of various accessories. Among them is a wide variety of cooking aprons such as bib aprons or the white aprons. For hygienic reasons, all self-respecting chefs are required to wear head coverings such as toques, caps, bandanas and skullcaps.

What does the law say about kitchen work clothes?

Mandatory, catering workers must wear specific kitchen attire. In the kitchen, people can be a source of food contamination. Wearing specific work clothes ensures better hygiene. According to HACCP standards "Anyone working in a food handling area must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and wear clean and suitable work clothes".

Catering workers should wear light-colored clothing such as white so that dirt is easily detected. kitchen clothing also helps keep employees safe. Indeed, cooks are often exposed to heat, flames and dirt. It is therefore essential to equip yourself from head to toe. Incidentally, the DIN 10524 standard requires a strict dress code for kitchen workers, an area that is part of risk class 3 with a high risk in terms of hygiene. Kitchen clothes play a very important protective role.

Comfort and safety are therefore basic elements to consider when choosing an outfit. Loose clothing and light shoes ensure good freedom of movement. For optimal safety, safety shoes are essential. These must comply with EN ISO 20345, and must have non-slip soles and steel toes to prevent possible falls and foot injuries.

Which article of the Labor Code applies to work clothes in the kitchen?

By law, employers have general safety and risk prevention obligations towards their employees. He must therefore ensure the supply and maintenance of professional clothing. There are generally two categories: classic workwear and PPE.

According to the Labor Code, employers are obliged to provide free work clothes and safety shoes to employees. This is especially in the case where the use of work clothes and safety shoes due to the risk is mandatory. In addition, article L4122-2 of the Labor Code stipulates that "the measures taken in terms of health, hygiene and safety must not impose any financial burden on employees".

Who has to pay for the upkeep of work clothes in the kitchen?

In accordance with French (Labour Code) and European (PPE Regulation 2016/425) standards, if the employer requires the use of professional clothing, it must be provided free of charge to the employee. What about maintenance, ie, cleaning, repair, replacement? In this regard, the legislation is very clear: it is also the responsibility of the employer to ensure the maintenance of work clothes.

Can cleaning costs be deducted from work clothes?

As mentioned above, the costs of maintaining kitchen clothes are the sole responsibility of the employer and therefore should not be deducted from the employee's salary. The employer is also responsible for checking the PPE, to see if it is still in good condition or if it needs to be repaired.