Archived Walmart Employees Sound Off About Having to Buy Their Own Work Clothes

[Hardlinesmaster]

So from this thread we have learned thanks to @Signkitty that the clothes they will be buying are not tax deductible, from @JuicedSoftball1 that they used to be able to wear regular clothes (actually a dress code) and from the links in @buliSBI original post that this was sprung on them without any warning so they haven't had any time to save up for the additional expense..

You are allowed up to a 300.00 tax credit per year.

 

[commiecorvus]

So from this thread we have learned thanks to @Signkitty that the clothes they will be buying are not tax deductible, from @JuicedSoftball1 that they used to be able to wear regular clothes (actually a dress code) and from the links in @buliSBI original post that this was sprung on them without any warning so they haven't had any time to save up for the additional expense..

You are allowed up to a 300.00 tax credit per year.

Not if the clothes can be worn as regular clothing on a day to day basis.
And since they specifically picked out the colors and styles they did to meet California law, they are ones that can be worn as daily wear.

 

[consume]

Sounds like another complaint from wally world

 

[Signkitty]

Maybe I am just bitter because for years on my review I was told that since my clothes were not in great shape I was not being brand. Yes I know they have to find something and thats the best they could do but it has been a peeve of mine for years. I work really hard and thats why I get dirty. I am paid poorly thats why I don't buy new work clothes to destroy the next day it adds up.

So from this thread we have learned thanks to @Signkitty that the clothes they will be buying are not tax deductible, from @JuicedSoftball1 that they used to be able to wear regular clothes (actually a dress code) and from the links in @buliSBI original post that this was sprung on them without any warning so they haven't had any time to save up for the additional expense..

You are allowed up to a 300.00 tax credit per year.

According to Turbo Tax that is not true.

"The IRS has accepted deductions for theatrical costumes, hard hats and other safety gear. Among the items that do not qualify are overalls, white dress shirts, and bibs even if required on the job site. For example, even though your company requires you to wear a suit each day, you cannot deduct their cost since you can wear the suits to weddings, job interviews and other occasions that don't relate to work."


https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-too...Work-Clothes-As-a-Tax-Deduction/INF14390.html

 

[canibedreamin]

Let them buy logo shirts then and deduct. lol Clothing deductions go into "miscellaneous deductions". Hell I'd stick a logo on my shirt AND my pants and deduct them both. Why would logo shirts be 'unsuitable' for wear outside of work? Most people wear logos everyday.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Step 2: Document your employer?s policies
Keep a copy of your employer's policy. For example, a pilot was able to present written proof that his employer required him to wear shoes not suitable for everyday use and to incur costs of having them polished regularly when the IRS questioned his deduction. The pilot was ultimately able to deduct the cost of the shoes as well as the expense of keeping them polished.

 

[canibedreamin]

Does anyone on this thread do their own taxes or have a family of lifelong tax professionals? By 'do your own taxes' I do not mean inputting information into a program that does them for you.

 

[canibedreamin]

Step 2: Document your employer?s policies
Keep a copy of your employer's policy. For example, a pilot was able to present written proof that his employer required him to wear shoes not suitable for everyday use and to incur costs of having them polished regularly when the IRS questioned his deduction. The pilot was ultimately able to deduct the cost of the shoes as well as the expense of keeping them polished.

Straight from the IRS website! It can be argued, but as I said previously, itemizing the 7 dollar shirts and 20 dollar pants would probably not be worth it anyway compared to the standard deduction.

 

[canibedreamin]

Really the moral of the story here is not that uniforms cost us money.. it's that Walmart fkn SUCKS. As if anyone who has ever shopped there or worked there doesn't already know this...

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Step 2: Document your employer?s policies
Keep a copy of your employer's policy. For example, a pilot was able to present written proof that his employer required him to wear shoes not suitable for everyday use and to incur costs of having them polished regularly when the IRS questioned his deduction. The pilot was ultimately able to deduct the cost of the shoes as well as the expense of keeping them polished.

Straight from the IRS website! It can be argued, but as I said previously, itemizing the 7 dollar shirts and 20 dollar pants would probably not be worth it anyway compared to the standard deduction.

I have doing the deductions too for years, using turbotax.

 

[sher]

We don't all have Goodwill. There's at least one in my state, but ain't nobody got time or money for that travel.

Moral of the story is depending on the circumstances, this can cause some to be upset and some won't be. Also that different Walmart stores apparently followed different parts of the dress code (based on the comments I saw yesterday on gawker and stuff I'm seeing here).

I doubt that the comments posted on their Wally social network is representative of the entire company's opinion on this.

I... Still love Walmart.

 

[Signkitty]

Work Clothes and Uniforms

You can deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes if the following two requirements are met.

• You must wear them as a condition of your employment.
  
  
• The clothes are not suitable for everyday wear.
  

It is not enough that you wear distinctive clothing. The clothing must be specifically required by your employer. Nor is it enough that you do not, in fact, wear your work clothes away from work. The clothing must not be suitable for taking the place of your regular clothing.


Examples of workers who may be able to deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes are: delivery workers, firefighters, health care workers, law enforcement officers, letter carriers, professional athletes, and transportation workers (air, rail, bus, etc.).

Musicians and entertainers can deduct the cost of theatrical clothing and accessories that are not suitable for everyday wear.

However, work clothing consisting of white cap, white shirt or white jacket, white bib overalls, and standard work shoes, which a painter is required by his union to wear on the job, is not distinctive in character or in the nature of a uniform. Similarly, the costs of buying and maintaining blue work clothes worn by a welder at the request of a foreman are not deductible.


http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch28.html

 

[PinkZinnia]

My accountant told me that you can only write off clothes that you can't wear anywhere else..

You know target and smart employees would abuse the extra discount...

 

[PinkZinnia]

Not smart.. Spellcheck sucks.. W-mart

 

[TargetMitchell]

My accountant told me that you can only write off clothes that you can't wear anywhere else..

You know target and smart employees would abuse the extra discount...

My dad just said the same thing. He's a CPA and does my taxes.

 

[JustJoe]

This is new? I was working for Wally in 2006 when they ditched the legacy vests (with "How may I help you?"). Our dayside dress code was blue or white polo and khakis. Backroom, truck, and overnight could wear T-shirts and jeans. I, on the other hand, could wear whatever the F I wanted since Support Managers in my store were expected to get their hands dirty (and pull 11-hour days). When I stepped down from support into a CSM position we still had our red vests to make us visible as supervisors.

When I went back to Sam's Club a few months later we also ditched our legacy vests (red for TM, blue for TL) for nicer embroidered vests, but the supervisor vests were "Kermit" green.

 

[Rarejem]

My accountant told me that you can only write off clothes that you can't wear anywhere else..

You know target and smart employees would abuse the extra discount...

My dad just said the same thing. He's a CPA and does my taxes.

Hahahaha - Does ANYONE ever wear red and khaki outside of work??? Most of our tm's that leave have "Burn Parties" to get rid of it! When I was hired tm's got an extra 30% off of red and khaki clothing that would be used for work. That was nice. Now I am a resale shop red-and-khaki buyer. My clothes are filthy from the backroom and dirty floors and pockets are killed by boxcutters and those crappy LPDA holders that lose their padding and dig in to your skin, rip your pants, and bruise you to death. I used to work at a retail store that did NOT require us to wear their clothing but gave us 40% off of any that we bought. That was nice.

 

[DotWarner]

I work at Walmart and I'm not too thrilled with this. I actually do have collared shirts that I hate because I always get so hot wearing them. I'm going to look around for different shirts because my store is already so hot without having to wear shirts that don't breathe. Then you add a vest on top of it.
Not like working at Walmart didn't already suck. One of these days I'll actually get up the ambition to find somewhere better to work.
I just hope my fellow female coworkers exercise due caution when picking a white shirt to wear to work, at least until we are supplied with the vests.
I know why they want to go back to the vests though. Customers couldn't tell who was an employee and who was another customer. Doesn't really speak too highly of the intelligence of some of the regular customers.

 

[mrknownothing]

Customers couldn't tell who was an employee and who was another customer. Doesn't really speak too highly of the intelligence of some of the regular customers.

See: Target.

 

[Signkitty]

Customers couldn't tell who was an employee and who was another customer. Doesn't really speak too highly of the intelligence of some of the regular customers.

See: Target.

Excuse me Miss do you work here?

 

[oath2order]

Customers couldn't tell who was an employee and who was another customer. Doesn't really speak too highly of the intelligence of some of the regular customers.

See: Target.

Excuse me Miss do you work here?

Normally I complain about this but I do have a habit of wandering around the store on break with TMs I'm friends with while they're on break too.

I keep helping people while I'm on break usually it bothers me but whatever now.

if I'm off the clock that's a whole other story >.>

 

[Megaparsec]

My Target uniform literally cost $2. A $1 for the pants and a $1 for the shirt from dollar day (Sunday) at St. Vincent

 

[eleuthreophile]

Hahahaha - Does ANYONE ever wear red and khaki outside of work???

I wear red sometimes! I have a cute navy and white skirt that looks good with a red top.

 

[DotWarner]

Customers couldn't tell who was an employee and who was another customer. Doesn't really speak too highly of the intelligence of some of the regular customers.

See: Target.

Excuse me Miss do you work here?

I hate that question more than anything! Just ask me your question. The reason I don't answer right away is because I'm fighting the urge to be sarcastic with you. You see I'm stocking a shelf, right?
Oh the things I wish I could say without fear of them complaining to management.