California has very strict employment laws, some of which deal with racial discrimination and harassment. One of the laws that protects workers of color is the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act.
The CROWN Act was signed into law in 2019 and prohibits employers from being able to discriminate against or harass employees because the employees opt to wear natural or protective hairstyles.
How does the CROWN Act impact dress codes?
The CROWN Act makes it clear that employers must have inclusive standards in their dress codes or grooming standards when it comes to hair. Specifically, they can’t prevent employees from wearing locs, braids, twists or Afros.
The law covers anyone who has a cultural standard set regarding natural hair. The goal of the CROWN Act is to stop employers from using a person’s hair as a standard for anything related to work. This means that employers can’t refuse to hire or promote someone based on their hairstyle just because it’s natural or in a protective style.
What should employees do if an employer violates the CROWN Act?
Employees who are subjected to discrimination or harassment based on their hairstyle should keep concise records of the events that occur. They may opt to file a complaint with the employer, as well as with the California Civil Rights Department.
Filing a complaint about an employer who violated the CROWN Act may be scary for some employees because they think they’ll be retaliated against. Retaliation based on a protected action, one of which is filing complaints regarding discrimination or harassment, is illegal. Employers can’t lawfully terminate, refuse to promote or take any negative employment actions just because an employee files a complaint.
Because these situations can be complex, victims of employers who violate this Act may benefit from working with a legal representative who can assist them with upholding their rights.