A PwC employee working in the UK has started a petition that would allow women to wear "flat formal" shoes to work instead of high heels. The employee was reportedly told to return home if she refused to go buy a pair of heels. The petition currently has 20,000 signatures. Currently, in the UK, employers can send workers home if they do not abide by the company dress code, which sometimes require women to wear high heels. These codes can be different for men and women and apply as long as employers have been given ample time access and buy clothes that fit the dress codes. Serious health concerns are also at risk, including joint damage, arthritis, and osteoarthritis, which can be caused from wearing heels. If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures, members of Parliament could debate over the issue.
See "Is it legal to force women to wear high heels at work?", Claire Bates and Justin Parkinson, BBC, May 11, 2016