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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello Autumn!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is some information regarding this topic that may be helpful for you to know as you and your board are considering this:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Under the Fair Labor Standards Act <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa">
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa</a>, if the board requires that the staff wear branded shirts (shirts or clothing with a logo on them), the library (or the municipality- depending on who the legal employer of the library is) will likely have to pay for
the shirts/uniform. The law considers the cost of the uniform shirts “the cost of doing business.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are some circumstances where the employer can deduct the cost from the employee’s paycheck- BUT that is permitted by Michigan law only if the employee provides written permission, AND the FLSA requires that the deduction does not
bring the employee’s wages below the federal minimum wage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are other considerations as well – how many shirts each employee receives, how additional ones can be obtained, etc.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I strongly suggest that you and your board consult your library’s attorney before setting a policy such as this to ensure that the process and policy adheres to applicable employment and tax laws.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Additional information can be found<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/16-flsa-wage-deductions">https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/16-flsa-wage-deductions</a><br>
<a href="https://iaml.com/blog/uniforms-dress-codes-and-flsa/#:~:text=Employers%20that%20pay%20their%20employees,to%20employees%20free%20of%20charge">https://iaml.com/blog/uniforms-dress-codes-and-flsa/#:~:text=Employers%20that%20pay%20their%20employees,to%20employees%20free%20of%20charge</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope this is helpful!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clare<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Clare D. Membiela, MLS, J.D.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Library Law Consultant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Library of Michigan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:MembielaC@michigan.gov"><span style="color:#0563C1">MembielaC@michigan.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">517-335-8132<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">The research and resources above are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice
with respect to any particular issue or problem.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-autospace:none"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">“the State may not, consistently with the spirit of the First Amendment,
contract the spectrum of available knowledge</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">
</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 482 (1965).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Michigan’s
<a href="https://www.michigan.gov/mde/resources/michigan-top-10-strategic-education-plan">
<span style="color:#467886">Top 10 Strategic Education Plan</span></a> provides focused direction to drive educational achievement in support of all learners.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img border="0" width="185" height="28" style="width:1.927in;height:.2916in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DC11D2.A8B48740"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Nourishing Michigan’s Future during the summer!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Find a Summer Food Service Program site nearest you and encourage Michigan’s children to Meet Up
and Eat Up! <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/meetupeatup"><span style="color:#467886">Michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="197" height="38" style="width:2.052in;height:.3958in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01DC11D2.A8B48740" alt="Michigan.gov/Vote logo
Description automatically generated"></span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at
<a href="https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/"><span style="color:#467886">Michigan.gov/Vote</span></a>.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Michlib-l <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Autumn Smith via Michlib-l<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 20, 2025 10:57 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> michlib-l@mcls.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Michlib-l] Dress Code Inquiry<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<strong><span style="font-family:"sans-serif 10pt",serif;color:black">CAUTION: This is an External email. Please send suspicious emails to
<a href="mailto:abuse@michigan.gov"><span style="font-weight:normal">abuse@michigan.gov</span></a></span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Greetings, Library Friends!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">We have a board member who is proposing that all staff should wear library branded polos at the desk. We are reaching out to other Michigan libraries to see if any other libraries
currently have a similar policy in place or have in the past. We do currently have a dress code which was approved by the board just a few years ago and seems to be serving us well at this time, so we are most interested in just gathering information from
our fellow library friends regarding this proposal. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Thanks and have a great day! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Autumn Smith<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">The Schultz-Holmes District Library</span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">407 South Lane Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">Blissfield, MI 49228<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="clickablephonenumber"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">517-486-2858</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="clickablephonenumber"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">517-486-3565</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222"> (fax)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222"><a href="http://www.blissfieldlibrary.org/" target="_blank">www.blissfieldlibrary.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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