Jeans ban for Napier council staff

The Napier City Council will not be supporting the Napier Family Centre's Jeans Day fundraiser today, as jeans are "inappropriate" attire for many of the public services the council provides.

In council correspondence sent to Hawke's Bay Today, management told staff they were not allowed to participate in Jeans Day this year as it was "inappropriate for work in many of the services that we provide to the public".

"Even for a charity it is difficult for staff to explain," it said. "Obviously we have other positions in the council where jeans are appropriate as work dress but I am not comfortable in applying the concept of Jeans Day to some staff and not to others."

Jeans Day is a fundraiser in which employees shed their formal work clothes, opting for casual jeans at the cost of a gold coin donation to the Napier Family Centre.

Yesterday Mayor Barbara Arnott said she knew nothing of the email, saying it was a decision made by the chief executive.

"I wouldn't have a clue. I don't have anything to do with managing the staff. It's not my call, but I support Jeans Day."

Kath Curran from the Napier Family Centre said they were grateful for all the support they had received from the council in the past.

"We have had fabulous support from the Napier council staff over the years," she said. "We've got over 125 workplaces taking part, so we're pretty rapt with the registrations."

Napier City Council chief executive Neil Taylor did not return Hawke's Bay Today's phone calls yesterday.