California Clarifies Law Prohibiting Hairstyle Discrimination

California has enacted legislation to clarify a law that prohibits hairstyle discrimination. The clarification takes effect Jan.  1, 2025.

The details

Background

In 2019, California enacted Senate Bill 188, which expressly stated that the prohibition on racial discrimination in employment includes discrimination based on traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but aren’t limited to, braids, locs, and twists.

Assembly Bill 1815

Effective Jan. 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 1815 removes the word "historically" from the above prohibition.  As such, discrimination based on traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles is prohibited by state law.  

Next steps

• Review policies and practices to ensure compliance with the law.
• Train supervisors on the clarification.