Starbucks Wins Appeal Over Dress Code Policy

A US appeals court has overturned a labor board ruling that Starbucks broke the law by barring workers at a Manhattan store from wearing union t-shirts or multiple pins. The decision reverses an earlier finding that the company's dress code policy was overly restrictive.

The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the National Labor Relations Board failed to properly balance Starbucks' ability to present its preferred image with workers' rights to advocate for unionizing and better working conditions.

This ruling is the latest in a series of decisions by US appeals courts that have sided with employers on issues related to workplace dress codes and labor rights. In 2023, a court ruled that Tesla could bar factory workers from wearing union t-shirts, and last year, another court said Home Depot had the right to prohibit employees from writing 'Black Lives Matter' on their aprons.

The Starbucks store in Manhattan's Meatpacking District is one of the company's largest locations, covering 23,000 square feet. Workers there don brown aprons and collared shirts or turtlenecks instead of the standard green aprons and black tops, and can opt to wear a handful of pre-approved shirts and pins that support various causes.