NEW ZEALAND: Auckland headquartered fashion retail group Hallensteins Glasson has denied accusations it forces store staff to wear items from its collections.
The listed fashion house, which manages menswear chain Hallensteins and womenswear retailers Glassons and Storm, has come under fire by officials from the National Distribution Union after workers from Glassons told Fairfax newspapers they believed it was a company requirement to wear Glassons' clothes to work.
At least three staff from the Auckland-based chain, which also operates 25 stores across Australia, had backed the claims with one stating she spent around $90 of the $260 a week she took home on buying clothes to wear to work.
The unnamed worker stated that if she turned up wearing out-of-season items that were being discounted, she was asked to wear only clothes being sold at full price.
However Glassons general manager Jamie Whiting insisted Glassons employees were not forced to wear the brand.
"It would be fair to say we strongly encourage our staff to wear our clothing but it's not compulsory and that's quite clear in the company policy and procedure."
Whiting told the newspaper standard employee discounts on clothes had been increased from 30 per cent to 40 per cent to encourage more people to wear Glassons apparel to work.
NDU said if proven, there could be a legal case to answer under the Wages Protection Act and the Minimum Wage Act.