There are many things that a person can’t control about themselves. Some of these are protected by laws. One that some individuals may not realize is protected is a person’s natural hair. This means that employees can’t be discriminated against because they opt to wear their hair in certain ways.
Hair discrimination at work is a significant issue because of the diversity in hair textures and styles. New York made it illegal to discriminate against someone because of their hair.
Legal protections in New York
The legal protections for hair were instituting an amendment to the state’s Human Rights Law. This law initially included protections against discrimination based on race. The update in the law expanded it to encompass traits historically associated with race. These include hair texture and protective hairstyles like braids, locs, twists and bantu knots. The law recognizes that these hairstyles are deeply connected to racial and cultural identity and protects them from unfair treatment in the workplace.
Impact on the workplace
Under these legal protections, employers in New York are prohibited from enforcing grooming policies that single out or ban natural hair or specific hairstyles. This means that any workplace rule or practice that disproportionately affects people of a certain race by targeting their natural hair or culturally significant styles could be considered discriminatory.
Employees who feel they’ve been targeted because of their hair have legal rights. Learning those rights and getting assistance to uphold them are critical for these workers.