Too sexy for office wear
A model presents a creation by Claudia Pegus during the Tobago Fashion Coda in Lowlands, Tobago island, April 24, 2014. Picture taken April 24, 2014. REUTERS/Andrea De Silva (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - Tags: FASHION)
A model presents a creation by Claudia Pegus during the Tobago Fashion Coda in Lowlands, Tobago island, April 24, 2014. Picture taken April 24, 2014. REUTERS/Andrea De Silva (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - Tags: FASHION)

Employees of the Australian Tax Office had been reminded by no less than Commissioner of Taxation Chris Jordan that they are not ramp models but public servants.

Jordan, according to reports, had ordered some personnel who were dressed to sexily to go home and change clothes. He had found some of the female workers wearing revealing or immodest clothes.

Male employees were neither spared because Jordan also took some of them to task for wearing board shorts and jandals in the office which he noted a beach get-up, not office attire.

To ensure there is no confusion on what is proper or improper office wear, Jordan issued smarten-up directives that spells in black-and-white how ATO workers should come to the office. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Jordan's tough call was a culture shock for many ATO staff not used to managers having a direct say on what the 23,000 ATO personnel wear to work.

Some ATO staff link Jordan's strictness to his previous employment with accounting firm KPMG where corporate attire is a standard office get-up.

In admonishing the ATO employees to be better dressed, The Sydney Morning Herald quoted an email from ATO Service Delivery Chief Robert Ravanello that reminded the taxmen, "Our professionalism is displayed through our values and code of conduct, but also through our appearance and dress."

An ATO spokeswoman added, "We expect staff to exercise good judgment on what is appropriate to wear and if they are unsure we encourage them to ask their manager."