Lawmakers Nationwide Seek to End Hair-Based Discrimination
Lawmakers around the country are working to end hair-based discrimination. The proposed federal legislation would clarify that discrimination based on race or national origin would encompass hair texture and style. The law aims to eliminate discrimination in education, the workplace, housing, and other public programs.
At the state level, California, New York, and New Jersey have already passed legislation aimed to prohibit hair-based discrimination. Measures to curb hair-based discrimination have also been introduced in at least a dozen other states. One Wisconsin lawmaker has noted that “race-neutral” grooming policies overwhelmingly affect people of color.
Hair-based discrimination is of particular concern for black men and women, and especially black women, who are more likely to have their hair considered “unprofessional” compared to white women. In a recent study, four out of five black women stated they had been forced to change their hairstyle from its natural state to fit in at the office.
If you believe you have been discriminated against or harassed because of your race or faced retaliation for filing a complaint of employment discrimination because of your race, please consider contacting the lawyers at the Bullman Law Firm. We represent workers, not employers. Our number is (503) 987-0000. There is no charge for your call.
