Pennsylvania has recently passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. This new law prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles and head coverings historically associated with an applicant or employee’s race or religion. This includes locs, braids, afros, extensions and religious head coverings. Employers may not take adverse action against any applicant or employee who wears any such hairstyle on the basis of that hairstyle.

Employers should make the necessary alterations to their handbooks and employment policies. Any policy requiring an employee’s hair be groomed a certain way must allow exceptions for the above hairstyles. Exceptions to this new rule are narrow and the employer will be required to provide written justification for why the mandated hairstyle is so important that it cannot be altered.