Is the employer obliged to clean work clothing?

Who is responsible for washing work clothes: the employer or the employee? And is the employer obliged to reimburse the cleaning costs? These are questions that arise regularly in practice, but to which the answer is not always clear.

The rules depend on the type of work clothing, the risks in the workplace and what has been agreed in the collective labor agreement or employment contract. In this article we explain how it works.

When is the employer obliged to clean work clothing?

If work clothing is prescribed as personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the Working Conditions Act, the employer is also responsible for its maintenance and cleaning. This applies to clothing that is necessary for the safety of the employee, such as flame-retardant clothing, anti-static clothing or high visibility work clothing.

The employer may not pass on the costs of cleaning mandatory protective clothing to the employee. Both the purchase and maintenance of mandatory PPE are the responsibility of the employer.

What if work clothing is not mandatory as PPE?

If it concerns work clothing that is not prescribed as protective equipment, such as a company polo shirt or uniform, the situation is less clear. In that case, the collective labor agreement and the employment contract determine who is responsible for the cleaning.

Many collective labor agreements contain agreements about a cleaning fee or about who washes the work clothes. Always consult the applicable collective labor agreement for your sector. If no specific agreements have been made, the employee is often responsible for washing the clothes himself.

Cleaning costs as a business expense item

If the employer reimburses the cleaning costs, these costs are in many cases deductible as a business expense item, provided that the work clothing meets the tax definition of work clothing. This means that the clothing is almost exclusively suitable for use during work, or that it contains a company logo of at least 70 cm².

Even if the employee bears the cleaning costs himself, he can, under certain conditions, include these as deductible labor costs in his tax return. Consult a tax advisor or accountant for this.

Practical: work clothing that is easy to clean

Regardless of who pays for the cleaning, it pays to choose work clothing that can be washed easily and frequently without compromising on quality. Work clothing that is washable at 60 degrees offers a hygienic cleaning result and can withstand regular washing. Clothing that shrinks, deforms or discolors after washing is more expensive and less practical in the long run.

Tricorp offers a wide range of work clothing that can withstand frequent washing. Do you want to have the clothing made to measure? Then view the options on the page custom work clothing.