EVERETT, Wash. — Clothing restrictions for Everett's bikini baristas are loosening following a vote by the city council on April 17.
The council unanimously approved an amended ordinance that changes a city dress code requiring workers at "quick service facilities," which includes coffee stands, to wear a minimum of shorts and a tank top.
Baristas will be required to follow the city's lewd conduct laws, requiring people to cover "minimum body areas" with opaque material. Additionally, owners of coffee stands will be required to post a notice to employees about the minimum dress requirement.
The argument over barista attire began in 2009 when the city alleged the coffee stands were becoming an issue, with employees of some stands engaging in sexual behavior and some eventually being charged with prostitution. The owner of two stands pleaded guilty to charges of promoting prostitution and money laundering in 2014.
In 2017, the city passed an ordinance requiring baristas to cover up their bodies from the chest down to 3 inches below the buttocks. Baristas and the owner of a chain of stands sued to block the dress code. A judge sided with the baristas, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the lower judge's decision.
In 2022, the U.S. District Court ruled the city's dress code was unconstitutional, saying it unfairly targeted women.
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