HCMC scraps proposed ban on jeans in public offices following opposition

Ho Chi Minh City has announced it will not be banning public servants from wearing jeans and T-shirts in the workplace following backlash at the proposal.

The city’s government said that the idea of a no-jeans office had received divided opinions, local media reported late on Wednesday.

In October, the city’s Department of Home Affairs proposed the ban on jeans and T-shirts as part of an etiquette code for public servants. The proposal was made a month after the same ban took effect in the southern city of Can Tho, the country’s fifth largest after Hanoi, HCMC, Da Nang and Hai Phong.

The code requires public servants to be polite and respectful at work, in their neighborhoods and in public places.

Although some people agreed that public offices should be a place for smart uniforms, others said jeans and T-shirts have become so common that saying they are not smart enough is not a convincing argument.

Some people called the proposed ban “rigid” and “silly”.

They said they support clothes that make workers feel active and comfortable providing they have a good attitude when dealing with the public.

HCMC is set to launch its etiquette code by December 25.