Effective August 1, 2022, the state of Louisiana amends its state employment discrimination laws to ban hairstyle discrimination, joining a growing number of states that have taken the same steps.
Known as the CROWN Act, or “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” this Act was founded to advance anti-hair discrimination legislation across the country. Specifically, the Act prohibits discrimination based on natural, protective, or cultural hairstyles. These include, but are not limited to, afros, braids, dreadlocks, twists, cornrows, Bantu knots, curls, or hair that is styled to protect hair or for cultural significance.
On July 3, 2019, California was the first state to sign the CROWN Act into law. Since then, other states that have enacted the law include:
The CROWN Act has also passed both chambers in Alaska and is awaiting the governor’s signature. Many major cities and counties have also enacted these protections. Additionally, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the federal CROWN Act and it is currently sitting with the Senate for approval.
As you can see, the CROWN Act has gotten a lot of traction over the past few years across the U.S. and many other states are in the process of passing this legislation as well. Because of these developments, it may be time to take a look at your company’s dress code policy and determine if changes should be made either to comply with the CROWN Act or in preparation should the legislation be passed in your area. The Act typically does make exceptions if certain hairstyles are not allowable due to safety risks, such as not allowing loose or dangling clothing, jewelry, or hair if employees are working around machinery with moving parts. However, moving towards a dress code regarding hairstyles that is more inclusive can not only prepare you for any coming changes in the law, but is also a step in making the workplace more inclusive for your employees.