i've never posted on this sub, just lurked, but i'm stunned and no one else seems to care. gotta rant. i've worked freelance or contract my entire short life and soon i'm starting my first job-job at a large company at a location that seems decent and where the people so far are super nice (all things considered), but i just found out that i'll be required to buy a minimum of five branded apparel/uniform items from the company store per every spring/summer and fall/winter– that's a minimum of 10 items a year. the company will reimburse me for half the cost.
i don't know what 5 items they plan to have me buy, but the cheapest uniform shirts in the catalog are $35! anything with long sleeves (which i would like, but clearly won't be getting if i have a choice) run $50-90. so, what, i'm making $17 an hour and spending at LEAST $175 out of pocket on uniforms every year? that's not even counting the non-branded slacks and shoes i'll have to buy to abide by the dress code, but at least i don't have to buy them again every 6 months!
sorry if you get folks complaining about something like this often, but i'm blown away. i'll be spending a day and a half of labor if not more every year just on company merch. please tell me this is just something they have to say and they won't be crazy enough to enforce this, especially if i mention that i don't know whether i can afford it. at least not right now i can't, my bank account is a bunch of dust bunnies rolling around. hence the taking this job. jesus