Honda Dealer’s ‘Message Clothing’ Ban Violates Labor Law

A Honda dealership in Massachusetts violated federal labor law when it prohibited employees from wearing union “pins, insignia, and message clothing,” a federal appeals court ruled (Boch Imps., Inc. v. NLRB, 2016 BL 194347, 1st Cir., No. 15-1721, 6/17/16).

Boch Honda’s dress code doesn’t pass muster because it was intended to create a professional environment, Judge David J. Barron wrote for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, joined by Judge Leo T. Sorokin. This distinguishes it from dress codes found to be lawful because they are “intended to create a specific and unique environment” for ...