New California Law Bans Hairstyle Discrimination

On July 3, 2019, California became the first state to prohibit hairstyle discrimination in workplaces and schools. The law, known as the “CROWN Act,” expands California’s anti-discrimination statute—the Fair Employment and Housing Act—to explicitly protect African American hairstyles and textures. Under the CROWN Act, hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists, are considered characteristics of…