We Protect Workers

How does the CROWN Act protect California employees?

Employees in California have many protections that aren’t present in some other states. Many protections in this state are also greater than those offered by federal laws. One example of this involves the Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. 

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 188 into law in 2019, which made California the first state to offer these protections. This law makes it safe for workers to wear their hairstyle in its natural form or in a protective style. 

Why is the CROWN Act important?

Before Gov. Newsom signed this act into law, workers had to conform to dress codes that often forced them to choose hairstyles that required steps that damaged their hair. Since this form of racial discrimination is now outlawed, workers can choose hairstyles that embrace the natural texture of their hair. 

Some specific hairstyles that are protected by this law include afros, Bantu knots, dreadlocks and braids. Employers aren’t allowed to bypass applicants, terminate employees or take adverse employment actions against workers because they have those hairstyles. 

Hair discrimination is only one form of racial discrimination that people can face at work. Anyone who’s facing any type of discrimination in the workplace should remember that they have specific rights. Working with someone who’s familiar with the specific protections provided by California law can help them to ensure they uphold their rights and hold employers accountable for the discrimination these workers are encountering. 

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