Many states prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on their natural hairstyles or hair texture, but there’s no federal law preventing it. Some lawmakers are trying to change that, recently reintroducing the federal Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act.
Federal CROWN Act Legislation Reintroduced
SHRM | May 2024
CROWN Act: Does Your State Prohibit Hair Discrimination?
SHRM | Feb 2023
National CROWN Day | July 3
National CROWN Day, marked annually on July 3,
is the commemoration of the inaugural signing of the
first CROWN Act legislation in the United States in 2019 to
"Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair."
The CROWN Act
CROWN Coalition
Articles
Prohibiting a Black employee from wearing her hair in its natural state constitutes race discrimination in violation of Title VII, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEOC”) cautioned in a statement announcing a recent consent decree. Importantly, the EEOC explicitly stated that natural hair texture counts as an “immutable characteristic of race” covered by Title VII.
EEOC Consent Decree Illustrated Enforcement Stance Regarding Natural Hair Texture & Race Discrimination
Direct Employers Association | Apr 2024
American Screening to Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC Race Discrimination Lawsuit
EEOC | Apr 2024
Black Americans' hair continues to be the target of discrimination
Commercial Appeal | Mar 2024
It’s Time to Update Your Employee Appearance Policy
Fisher Phillips | Sep 2023
The CROWN Act: A jewel for combating racial discrimination in the workplace
Economic Policy Institute | Jul 2023
The Crown Act: Unbraiding the Legal Issues for Employers
Epstein Becker | Jun 2023
How Hair Discrimination Affects Black Women at Work
Harvard Business Review | May 2023
Follow this topic: Hairstyle Discrimination
JD Supra
State and Local Developments
Roundup: US employer resources on hairstyle discrimination laws
Mercer | Dec 2023
Texas Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (9/1/23)
Michigan Bans Hairstyle Discrimination (6/15/23)
Minnesota Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (2/1/23)
Illinois Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (1/1/23)
Louisiana Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (8/1/22)
Maine Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (8/7/22)
Massachusetts Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (10/24/22)
Tennessee Prohibits Hairstyle Discrimination (7/1/22)
SHRM Express Requests
Protecting the Local CROWN: Combing Through Florida’s Ordinances Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Hairstyles and Textures
Littler | Jul 2023
Natural Hairstyle Discrimination Protections Passed in Kentucky and Beyond
Littler | May 2023
(Texas) CROWNing Moment: Implications for Employers as CROWN Act Expands
Locke Lord | May 2023
Pennsylvania Advances LGBTQ and Hair Texture or Hairstyle Discrimination Protections
Ballard Spahr | Dec 2022
CROWN Act Passes in Austin, Texas
SHRM | Jun 2022
U.S. Virgin Islands Enacts CROWN Act To Ban Discrimination On The Basis Of Hair Texture And Protected Hairstyles
Ogletree | Apr 2022
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