FOR MES Employees

Section 1. The parties mutually agree to the benefit of the employees and the agency to provide uniforms to designated employees. It is agreed that uniforms are not considered protective clothing. Uniforms provide no additional protection from chemical, biological, radiological, or mechanical hazards than similar street clothes. Uniforms do provide visual identity and standard appearance for employees. Special clothing (designed to provide protection from specific risks) does provide protection for the employee and will be issued on an "as needed basis."

Section 2. MES wage grade employees are required to wear uniforms in order to identify the staff as MES employees and present a standard appearance to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) community. Employees are expected to report for work in a clean government issued uniform.

Section 3. The uniform shall be the same for all MES units and shall consist of the following initial issue of standard items to each employee.

A. Light blue shirts - long/short sleeve or combination (12 shirts) - as appropriate for the type of work performed. Individual MES unit patches shall be sewn above the left pocket of the shirt. Additional MES approved patches may be sewn on other designated locations.

B. Dark blue trousers - (12 pairs)

C. Black scratch less or garrison style belt ( 1 each )

D. Dark blue light weight jacket with liner ( 2 each )

E. Personnel approved for flame resistant clothing may not wear short sleeves.

The following optional items may be issued on an as-needed basis to the employee with the approval of the Section Chief:

A. Optional light blue t-shirt with DES/Office of Research Services (ORS) logo silk screened above the left pocket (5 each).

B. Optional dark-blue baseball style caps with DES/ORS logo (1 summer weight and 1winter weight). Alternatively, an optional Union baseball style cap may be worn. But it may not be altered in any manner.

C. Optional dark blue parka (1 each) and/or dark blue insulated and/or uninsulated coveralls (1 each) (as required for specific work).

D. Additional quantities of optional items may be provided where working conditions warrant frequent changes of soiled uniforms during the shift.

Section 4. All standard uniform shirts and trousers will be manufactured of cotton and polyester blended fiber. The 100 percent cotton garments shall be issued to individuals only with OMS/OS medical justification and approval based on medical documentation from the employee's personal physician. Personnel working with open flame welding equipment, high temperature steam or high voltage must, at all times, wear flame resistant clothing. As determined by the supervisor, such employees will be issued flame resistant uniforms. Flame resistant coveralls shall be provided as needed.

Section 5. To insure employees will have an adequate supply of clean uniforms, the uniforms are furnished and cleaned at government expense. Rental uniforms shall be returned to the vendor upon termination of employment or permanent reassignment to a position which does not require the uniform. Government purchased parkas and coveralls shall be returned to the issuing office.

Section 6. The Government provides lockers for all employees designated to wear uniforms and provides showers and changing facilities. Since the uniform is incidental to the work, employees shall change into the uniform before regular duty hours. Only clean uniforms (properly laundered by the agency) may be worn by employees commuting directly to and from work. Uniforms may not be worn at any other times or for any other purposes. The agency will provide the employees with information related to the hazards of transmitting health hazards from work to their homes on uniforms.

Section 7. The optional T-shirt shall not be worn as an outer garment in indoor public areas. T-shirts may only be worn as an outer garment in unoccupied construction areas, mechanical rooms, outdoor work assignments or shop areas. Regular uniform shirts are to be worn when leaving such work areas and re-entering public areas i.e., laboratories, offices, lobbies, or cafeterias.

Section 8. When wearing the uniform, only authorized uniform components or protective gear may be worn, i.e., personal hats are not permitted. No personal modifications or alterations of the uniforms are permitted, e.g., sleeves may not be cut off. The uniform is to be worn in a conventional manner as intended whenever the employee is in any NIH public area. Employees will wear uniforms in accordance with agency policies.

Section 9. Repeated loss or abuse of the uniform will result in the employee being charged the contract replacement unit price.

Section 10. The Government provides lockers for all employees designated to wear uniforms and changing facilities. Since the uniform is incidental to the work, employees shall change into the uniform before regular duty hours. Only clean uniforms (properly laundered by the agency) may be worn by employees commuting directly to and from work. Uniforms may not be worn at any other times or for any other purposes. The agency will provide the employees with information related to the hazards of transmitting health hazards from work to their homes on uniforms.

Section 11. The uniforms for NDCC shall be the same for all employees engaged in food preparation and service of meals. The Agency will provide and maintain all uniform items issued to each employee. The initial issue of items to each employee will consist of a choice of the following to equal 12 sets.

A. Females: (all items are white)

Dress: skirts, pants, T-shirt, short sleeve buttoned-front shirt; short jacket Head coverings: (choice of) hairnets, surgical cap or teal colored caps

Female cooks may choose checkered pants and a cook's coat in lieu of white pants, short sleeved shirts

Footwear - nonslip type

B. Male (all items are white)

Pants: white or checkered; shirts, buttoned front, short sleeves; short jackets

Head covering: caps, teal baseball, paper hairnet or surgical caps for head and beards.

Footwear - nonslip type

C. Aprons are the same for both male and female

D. Optional clean union baseball cap may be worn.

The following personal accessaries may not be worn as part of the uniform: colored head coverings and ornaments, jewelry in excess of a watch and wedding ring, hoop earrings (no posts) and opened toe/heel shoes