CT lawmakers ban hair discrimination, consider other workplace bills

Discrimination against natural hairstyles is now illegal in Connecticut. The CROWN Act, which stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” was recently signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont. Meanwhile, the general assembly is considering several other workplace-related measures. Read on to learn more about the other laws that may be coming to a workplace near you soon.

What CROWN Act covers

Connecticut is the eighth state to enact the CROWN Act, joining Virginia, Washington, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and California. The new legislation, House Bill (HB) 6376, amends the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA) to prohibit workplace discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles historically associated with race.

More specifically, the CROWN Act expands the definition of “race” to include “ethnic traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, and protective hairstyles.” It further defines “protective hairstyles” as including (but not limited to) “wigs, headwraps and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros, and afro puffs.”

The CROWN Act’s proponents say the new law aims to protect men and women from discrimination based on their natural and traditional hairstyles. They claim men and women historically have been judged and penalized in the workplace for wearing protective hairstyles. A 2019 national Dove research study (in partnership with the CROWN Coalition) found: