THE CROWN ACT

A recent study by Dove revealed that 80% of Black women are more likely to change their natural hair to meet expectations at work and are 150% more likely to have reported being sent home or know of a Black woman sent home from work because of her hair.  

Bill H.R. 2116, also known as the CROWN Act, recently proposed in the House of Representatives, failed to garner two third majority vote.  The CROWN Act would have federally prohibited natural hair discrimination in employment, public accommodations, housing, and other venues.  Under the CROWN Act, hair discrimination would have been treated as a violation of relevant civil rights laws.  

Although federal law does not prohibit hair discrimination, multiple states, including New York, have already outlawed discrimination based on an individual’s style or texture of hair.  In February 2019, New York banned discrimination based on natural hairstyles. The New York CROWN Act amended the Dignity for All Students Act contained in Article 2 of the Education Law, as well as the Human Rights Law contained in Article 15 of the Executive law.  The CROWN Act amends the definition “race” to include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyle (braids, locks, twists).  New York employers are prohibited from enforcing purportedly race-neutral grooming policies restricting natural hair styles.   

Other states that have similar policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of hair include California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.