Labor Law Absurdity
Former employees of the GAP are
suing, alleging that they were illegally required to purchase uniforms (ie GAP clothes, which they receive at a significant discount) . They're probably right - this could very well be a violation of California labor law. But it doesn't feel quite right, does it?
Many if not most employees at GAP stores (which includes Banana Republic and Old Navy, in additon to the GAP itself) are high school or college students, many are also firmly middle class. These students generally choose to get a job to have some additional spending money for going out with friends, and they choose the GAP for the discounts on the clothes. That's right - they actually seek out the job so that they can buy GAP clothes for 40% off (or whatever the exact discount is). One might even call this discount a form of compensation.
No-one is ever left with 'no choice' but to work at the GAP and buy their expensive 'uniforms'. After all, as Eric Schlosser details in
Fast Food Nation, the typical fast food employee only works there for a few months. So teenagers always have the option of going down to the nearest McD's, where the management will happily provide a uniform as part of the job.
So why are we 'protecting' these workers from 'exploitation'? By any consideration, working at the GAP is a much cushier job than working at McDonalds, even ignoring the clothing discounts. Why should people at the GAP even make as much per hour as McDonald's employees?
Posted by Stephen Bronstein at May 21, 2003 06:40 PM