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Hays Travel ditches skirt-only rule
Female agency staff at Hays Travel shops will be allowed to wear trousers after the company changed its uniform policy.
Directors made the decision after the husband of a Hays worker raised the issue on social media.
In a tweet, which has now been deleted, he said: "21st Century and there are still companies that won’t allow women to wear trousers.
"This is an archaic and backwards policy. Is there really equality in the world or even in the UK which would hopefully be beyond this?"
The complainant, who wishes to remain anonymous, later added: "Their uniform policy does not allow women to wear trousers.
"My wife has requested trousers and been told ‘no’. I think it is such an old outdated policy. It screams of Carry On ethics to me."
Sunderland-based Hays, which took over all Thomas Cook shops last October, then changed its 40-year policy on women only being allowed to wear knee-high skirts, ChronicleLive reports.
A spokeswoman said: "This issue was brought to the attention of company directors on Tuesday and they have decided to review the uniform policy and allow women to wear trousers."
Hays recently announced it is recruiting hundreds of apprentices.
Staff at rival TUI were already allowed to wear trousers, which are offered as part of its standard uniform.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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