BROOKSVILLE, Fla., June 18, 2009

No Underwear, No Deodorant, No Job?

Florida City Enacts Dress Code For Workers Stressing "Strict Personal Hygiene"

  • Brooksville, Fla. city workers are also prohibited from having exposed underwear, clothing with foul language,

    Brooksville, Fla. city workers are also prohibited from having exposed underwear, clothing with foul language, "sexually provocative" clothes and piercings anywhere except the ears.  (AP Photo)

(AP)  A Florida city is cleaning up with a new dress code that requires city workers to wear underwear and use deodorant.

The city council in Brooksville north of Tampa recently approved a dress code that instructs employees to observe "strict personal hygiene."

It also prohibits exposed underwear, clothing with foul language, "sexually provocative" clothes and piercings anywhere except the ears.

Repeat offenders can be fired.

The city council approved the dress code 4-1 as part of a wider effort to update existing policies and ordinances.

The one vote in opposition came from Mayor Joe Bernadini. He said the underwear edict "takes away freedom of choice."


© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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by debinok1 June 18, 2009 5:47 PM EDT
I understand the concern over a office or job place dress code and even agree with "some" of the comments, these policies tend to benefit all employees and the employers at some time or another. I happen to think the "no piercings" policy is a bit overboard as not ALL piercings are visible. The deodorant issue "should" be common sense, however, I have seen and smelled my share of those without good personal hygiene, it is not a pleasant experience. The appropriate clothing issue is another one I can relate to, having someone come to an interview with their pants belted at mid thigh is not acceptable in any job. Same with the underwear issue, if your pants slip or your shorts or skirt ride up when bending over there should be another layer of clothing to prevent "exposure" to others. These are common sense issues that should be normal and reasonable to most, but the last generation that entered the workforce as well as the new generation coming in seem to be lacking in one or all of these areas.
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by ajjaxtheleast June 18, 2009 5:42 PM EDT
"Mr., Mayor, Wilson on the phone,,,wife bought too small
a size underwear, stopped his blood circulation and cant
do number two, has to take the day off to go
to the doctor."
Reply to this comment
by specialty8 June 18, 2009 5:29 PM EDT
Long hair back in the 70's was natural, walking around with your pants around your ankles is just plain stupid.
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by MIO42 June 18, 2009 5:24 PM EDT
takes away freedom of choice ?
Our Children have to learn to emulate, idiots ,sloth ,imbiciles ,perversion and rude behavior somewhere , why not right in the workplace if our schools and riligous institutions are going to forsake their responsibility -WHAT ?
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by ajjaxtheleast June 18, 2009 5:23 PM EDT
Speaking of dress codes there was the Harley cycle dude
wishing that he was DOA rather than just injured laying
there on the ER table sharing with the doctors and nurses
his silent-mating-call dress code of a store-bought salami
taped to his upper thigh in just the position to
be noticed under his tight now-torn-away genes.
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by PVperson2 June 18, 2009 5:23 PM EDT
Lijablues, sounds like your already "homeless".
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by Lijablues June 18, 2009 4:59 PM EDT
Ok Ok, I'll pull my pants up, I''ll dig out some underwear, I'll even pull the rods out of my nose, but does this also mean, I must wear my false teeth, even if they hurt me???
My underware have spots on them, are they still ok? I can't find my belt so I must use
rope to hold up my pants, will this pass the new code?
And, will someone please tell me, why its ok to have ear piercings but no others?
Isn't this a little bit of old fashioned thinking?
And....if I cant afford deodorant will my boss pay for it?

Gee.....I hope no one trys to sniff my ars, the water pipes broke this morning!!!

Looks like I'll end up Homeless!!!
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by JaneScriv June 18, 2009 3:30 PM EDT
I don't think it should be beyond the capabilities of most people to comprehend that there can be different standards of dress and behavior for different settings and occasions. Employers have the right to expect professional, appropriate dress and hygiene from employees. Sorry, some people may have to learn to accept that tattoos, multiple piercings, etc. just are not appropriate in most professional environments, never have been, and, I sincerely hope, never will be. Choose your occupation accordingly. As for bad body odor -- good grief, do we have to tell you???? As far as how you present yourself to the world when you are not at work, nor in a work-related environment, you may feel free to express yourself as you wish. So, if you have tatoos all over your arms, wear a long-sleeve shirt to the company picnic. When you're on vacation in Hawaii with your significant other, go to a nude beach if you want to. If you meet your boss there - well. . . Let him (or her) acknowledge you first. And do not run your mouth about it when you get back to work. Discretion has its rewards.
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by gbmtmas June 18, 2009 3:08 PM EDT
For the standard of "Christian Attire" we can let the recently fired and "Christian" former Ms. California, modelling in thong-like attire, be our guide.
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by gbmtmas June 18, 2009 2:40 PM EDT
"Christian attire"? You mean like Ms. "Saving Traditional Marriage" (A.K.A Carrie Prejean) hooched out in thong-like attire?
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by aChangeOfIdeas June 18, 2009 2:37 PM EDT
I can't believe someone dragged religion into this, it has nothing to do with religion. Just American culture. So far no one has started blaming liberals or conservatives... that's good.
I doubt they are going to have 'inspections'. If the guy next to you stinks, or if you can see boobs through the sheer blouse on your boss... that's not appropriate for the workplace. It's the kind of rule that no one should blink an eye at because they're all thinking, "gee, I do that anyway". So who's complaining? There's jobs with far stricter dress codes than that. If you want the job, follow the dress code or get a new job.
Reply to this comment
by aChangeOfIdeas June 18, 2009 2:37 PM EDT
I can't believe someone dragged religion into this, it has nothing to do with religion. Just American culture. So far no one has started blaming liberals or conservatives... that's good.
I doubt they are going to have 'inspections'. If the guy next to you stinks, or if you can see boobs through the sheer blouse on your boss... that's not appropriate for the workplace. It's the kind of rule that no one should blink an eye at because they're all thinking, "gee, I do that anyway". So who's complaining? There's jobs with far stricter dress codes than that. If you want the job, follow the dress code or get a new job.
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by koko98-2009 June 18, 2009 2:05 PM EDT
They can't pay the people who run the city's plumbing department enough to enforce this!
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by micheleisfree June 18, 2009 1:26 PM EDT
I'm not surprised by this.
I live in the town next to Brooksville and you've never seen such inbred redneck hicks located next to intelligent people. There are more pickup trucks in Brooksville than there are teeth.
I wouldn't wipe my rear with anyone from that town.
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by Lijablues June 18, 2009 4:44 PM EDT
Thanks for the heads up!! I think I'll try to avoid this town, thank you very much!
by Sloughfoot June 18, 2009 1:16 PM EDT
Christens have been around for 2000 years, the the Bra for about a 100, no bra needed to be Christian. Kilts have been around for as long as the Scotts, most Scotts are Christians. Oh forgot to tell you, Kilts are traditionaly worn without undergarments. Does that make a Scottsman unchristian. Many peoples throughout the world do not wear "undergarments" are these people pagons? Theocrats in the fashion world, yuck. May I suggest you check your own congregation for the wearing of your approved undies.
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by batcomp June 18, 2009 1:30 PM EDT
THANK YOU!!!!!!! My sentiments EXACTLY!!!!!!
by TheMasses0003 June 18, 2009 1:00 PM EDT
No Underwear, No Deodorant, No Job?
-----------------------------
When has this NOT been the case?
CBS suks.
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by PostalOneToo June 18, 2009 12:58 PM EDT
by mrs_trepidatious June 18, 2009 8:29 AM PDT
I am in favor of this. Christian appropriate attire should be worn in public.


"Christian" like the preacher who spent his money on hookers?
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by gravyboat3000 June 18, 2009 12:15 PM EDT
I still want to know how they're gonna confirm that all employees are wearing underwear.

I was a manager, with 15 employees. If you lined them up, and stared at them, ya couldn't tell if they had underwear on or not. And what difference does it make?

I did let go of a temp girl for repeatedly exposing too much cleavage, to show off a tattoo. I didn't get sued though, her lawyer was too busy working a lawsuit against her last employer.
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by mensarino June 18, 2009 12:07 PM EDT
Mrs Trep------Will sackcloth and ashes suffice?
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by smitvict June 18, 2009 12:07 PM EDT
I agree that Christian attire should be an expectation. An excellent example would be the proponent of traditional marriage, Carrie Prejean.
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