It’s one small way companies are adjusting to the brutal new reality of climate change. In the United States, millions of people in the Southwest and South face dangerously high temperatures. Some places, such as Texas and Arizona, have experienced a weeks-long heat wave. Previously, Target allowed employees who worked outdoors to wear shorts. The company recently changed its policy to allow the majority of store workers to wear shorts.
Target’s uniform standards ask employees to wear solid color pants, capris, skirts or shorts in good condition. Target says it has other policies for employees who work in extreme heat, including frequent water and rest breaks. Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety and health hazards, including protecting workers from heat-related hazards.