A woman who wore a sewing uniform to her hair salon and to her office in the capital city of Guangdong says she felt “violated”.
She said she had been told she could not wear the uniform as it violated her “freedom of choice”.
Ms Li said she was upset by the decision, which she said was made in the first few months of the year.
“It was an outfit that I had not worn before.” “
She said it had been made by a company that made sewing uniforms for the police. “
It was an outfit that I had not worn before.”
She said it had been made by a company that made sewing uniforms for the police.
“I have no idea why I was discriminated by the employer and by the managers.”
I felt humiliated by the way the manager told me that I could not come in the same day that I was going to work as well as I could.
“That is why I decided to wear the sewing uniform.”
It is a little bit strange to wear a sewing shirt and jeans, but not a sewing vest, so I think it is fine for me to wear it,” Ms Li told reporters on Wednesday.
She did not have her own uniform when she started her work as a hairstylist in July last year.
“They told me I would be punished for wearing it. “
The company made me wear it for a few days to be prepared, but I was very surprised when I saw the manager’s reaction to me,” she said.
She also said that her employer had told her that she had to wear her sewing uniform at the workplace, which meant that she would not be allowed to work from home. “
Of course, I will pay back the employer.”
She also said that her employer had told her that she had to wear her sewing uniform at the workplace, which meant that she would not be allowed to work from home.
“I cannot work from my home.
I work from the office.
My work time is only about seven to eight hours a day,” she added.
When asked if she thought her employer would be willing to change its policy, she said: “”If there is a change in policy, I can’t really say.
But I am willing to work for free.
“So if there is no change in the company policy, then I am not sure if I can work there.”
Ms Li, who does not have children, said she would have to return to her home province in southern China if the employer changed its policy.
According to Guangdang’s official media, a spokeswoman for the city government said the dress code was not being enforced, but added that it was necessary to make sure the city’s residents were not harassed.
A Guangzhou-based women’s rights activist said the situation was “completely unacceptable”.
“This is the most dangerous time to be in Guangdongs labour market.
This is one of the worst incidents of women’s exploitation in recent years, as it can affect the economic growth of the city,” Ms Xie told the BBC.
It comes after a spate of sexual harassment complaints by female workers in Guangzhou in the last few months, and after a high-profile case involving a woman who claimed she was raped in a public washroom.
The incidents have triggered an investigation by Guangzhou’s legal watchdog.
Guangdong’s labour market has grown significantly over the past few years, but a report released last month found that the sector was facing a “high risk” of contracting HIV.
More than 20,000 workers have reported having been harassed since last year, according to the National Labor Rights Centre, a non-profit group that monitors the rights of migrant workers.
In March, Guangdans Supreme Court ruled that the government had the legal power to set workplace dress codes, but it was unclear whether it had the authority to enforce the law.
On Wednesday, Ms Li took to Facebook to say she was willing to pay the employer back the money it had taken from her.
And while she said she did not feel discriminated against, she added: “If they want to pay, then they should take it back.”