University of South Florida
Career Services Student Employee Attire Agreement
We’re pleased to have you work alongside us as part of a team that educates students and alumni in the areas of career development and professionalism. Because of the mission of our office, we ask that all employees, including our student staff, take care to make sure that their appearance is appropriate. We require our students to dress in business casual attire – the same dress code expected of professional staff. Guidelines for what is understood to be business casual are outlined in this agreement.
Policy for Business Casual Attire
□Business casual attire is crisp, neat, and should look appropriate for a meeting/impromptu run-in with a professional staff member from any department on campus. Everything worn should be clean. Inspect clothes for dangling threads, tags, or signs of excessive wear.
□Basics of business casual include khaki or dark pants, neatly pressed or unwrinkled shirts not made of t-shirt material. Polo or golf shirts are appropriate, as well as buttoned shirts and sweaters.
□For men, ties are not necessary unless otherwise specified by your supervisor for special event days. Shirts should be tucked in unless they are polo or golf shirts and do not look appropriate tucked in. White, light blues, or conservative strips are the safest shirt choices to ensure a professional appearance. Though, these colors/patterns are not required. Dress socks, usually dark socks are most appropriate, should be worn so that skin around your shoes is not visible. Facial hair, if worn, should be well-groomed. Flashy jewelry is not appropriate. Accessories should complement the outfit worn. Belts and shoes should match. Nails should be clean and well groomed.
□For women, pants with a dress shirt, skirts, or dresses are acceptable. Nothing should have a tight fit. Cleavage is inappropriate. Bras should not show. Solid colors such as navy, black, gray, brown, and khaki are always the most professional choices for pants and skirts. Skirts and dresses should come to at least your knees when you are standing. When seated, your thighs should be covered. If the skirt or dress comes to just below the knee, a slit to just above the knee is acceptable. A very long skirt or dress should not be slit above the knee. Slits in the back of a skirt to facilitate walking or stair climbing are acceptable. Slits to facilitate a view of your legs are not appropriate for business casual attire. Any slips worn should not be visible. Hose are not essential for business casual attire, but are recommended if your skirt or dress is knee length instead of calf length. Flashy jewelry is not appropriate. Accessories should complement the outfit worn. Makeup worn should be conservative and natural looking. A little is usually better than none for a polished look. Nails should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremes of nail length and polish color.
□Sleeveless shirts should not be worn by men. If women wear a sleeveless shirt or dress, your shoulders should be covered by a cardigan, sweater, or jacket. Cap sleeves are acceptable for women as long as the shoulder and top of the arm is covered.
□Shoes should complement the outfit worn. For men, sandals are inappropriate for casual business attire. For women, sandals which are neither extremely dressy nor extremely casual might be appropriate. Ballet flats and peep toe flats are acceptable. Spike heels are not appropriate. Chunky heels and platforms are not appropriate. Heels should be conservative. Please make certain that you can walk comfortably in your shoes because of the requirements of this job – hobbling around in shoes that pinch your feet does not convey a professional image. Shoes should be in good condition and not scuffed. Your supervisor should be consulted if you are unsure of what is appropriate.
□Athletic shoes, flip-flops, and hiking boots are not appropriate.
□Hair should be clean and neat.
□Check outfits for missing buttons. Don’t forget to check for tacking stitches in new clothes.
□Perfume or cologne should be used sparingly or not at all. No odors should linger on clothes. Your clothes should be free from smoke smells. Please respect any allergies to strong smells your coworkers bring to your attention.
□Business casual attire is not party attire. Avoid tight or baggy clothing.Underwear should never show. Low cut pants, midriff revealing shirts or halter tops are not allowed. See-through clothing is inappropriate. Sheer blouses should be worn with an undershirt. No shorts are allowed. Dress capris are acceptable for women. Jeans are not allowed unless otherwise specified by office leadership.
□Hats should not be worn in the office.
□With the challenge of a student budget, we are here to help you find affordable clothing that is appropriate to wear to work. Please feel comfortable to ask your supervisor for assistance in selecting locations where you can find suitable attire that you can afford.
□Career Services’ polos provided to students should still be worn to all presentations and outreach events. If you choose, you may still wear these polos in the office.
□If you come to work dressed inappropriately, your supervisor will provide a written warning to you and ask you to go home and change before returning to work. Students will not be paid for the hours missed due to attire changes. If student employees continue to violate the Attire Agreement after three written warnings from their supervisor it is grounds for the student employee to be terminated. Supervisors should ALWAYS provide written warning to students regarding attire violations that can be kept in the student’s personnel file.
My signature confirms that I have read, fully understand and will abide by USF Career Services’Attire Agreement for student employees.
Student Name (print) ______Date ______
Student Signature ______Date ______
Student Supervisor Signature ______Date ______