Federal CROWN Act Legislation Reintroduced

Many states prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on their natural hairstyles or hair texture, but there’s no federal law preventing it. Some lawmakers are trying to change that, recently reintroducing the federal Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. We’ve gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.

House Bill Reintroduced

On May 1, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., led 84 lawmakers in sponsoring the reintroduction of the CROWN Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which the House previously passed in 2019 and 2022 but the Senate blocked, aims to end race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools. If signed into law, the act would prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle or hair texture that is coiled or tightly curled—including locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, Afros, or any other hairstyle commonly associated with a race or national origin.

(NPR)

Will the House Bill Come Up for a Vote?

Watson Coleman said lawmakers face a challenge in securing bipartisan support in a Republican-controlled House.

“A major hurdle we’ll have is getting the GOP leadership to bring the bill up for a vote. What is encouraging is that for the first time, we have bipartisan support in the Senate,” she previously said.

(CNN)

Senate Bill

On May 3, U.S. Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced the CROWN Act in the Senate.

(Sierra Sun Times)

State and Local Acts

At least 24 states and more than 40 local areas have enacted the CROWN Act. Black women are 1.5 times more likely than other women to be sent home from work or know of a woman sent home due to her hairstyle, according to a 2019 study by personal care company Dove.

(SHRM Online and Economic Policy Institute)

Opponents’ Stance

Lawmakers who oppose the bill argue that existing laws that ban race-based discrimination already apply. For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. At the federal level, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already challenged grooming and appearance policies for targeting certain hairstyles associated with race, and such policies are facing increased scrutiny from the courts.

“Adopting nationwide practices consistent with the CROWN legislation can serve as both a proactive compliance step and a leap toward making the workplace more inclusive,” said Corinn Jackson, an attorney with Littler in Seattle. 

(SHRM Online)