News & Analysis as of

New Legislation State Labor Laws Race Discrimination

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Refresher on California’s CROWN Act

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

In 2019, California became the first state to pass the CROWN Act—short for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. This legislation prohibits discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective...more

Meyers Nave

Employment Law 2025 Legal Update

Meyers Nave on

STAY AHEAD OF 2025’s LEGAL CHANGES - Review your employee handbook and employment contracts for necessary updates on these changes to the law, effective January 1, 2025. Employer Captive Audience Meetings are Banned...more

Littler

Inching Forward Toward Potential Clarification of Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” Law)

Littler on

On August 24, 2023, over a year after Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (IFA) (commonly referred to as the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” law) went into effect, and about one year after a Florida federal court partially enjoined the new law,...more

Polsinelli

New Texas Law Prohibits Employers from Race-Based Hair Discrimination

Polsinelli on

Governor Greg Abbott recently signed House Bill No. 567, also known as the CROWN Act, into law. Following the bill’s enactment on September 1, 2023, Texas law will prohibit race-based hair discrimination in employment,...more

Epstein Becker & Green

Michigan Is the Latest Jewel in the CROWN Act

Epstein Becker & Green on

Michigan is the latest state to expand its legal definition of race as a protected class to include hairstyle descriptors. As we recently explained, legislation with the acronym for “Creating a Respectful and Open Work for...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Texas Joins Growing Number of States to Ban Natural Hair Discrimination

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: Natural hairstyles have become increasingly popular among Black Americans of both sexes. Despite their popularity, these hairstyles have been overregulated frequently in the workplace. To address this...more

Bodman

Michigan Prohibits Hair-Based Racial Discrimination

Bodman on

On June 15, 2023, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 90, which amends the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (“ELCRA”) to prohibit discrimination based on traits historically associated with race, such as hair...more

Littler

Natural Hairstyle Discrimination Protections Passed in Kentucky and Beyond

Littler on

On May 12, 2023, Lexington became the fourth city in Kentucky to protect hairstyles under its local anti-discrimination ordinances. The Lexington CROWN Act (Ordinance No. 49-2023), an acronym for "Creating a Respectful and...more

Littler

Minnesota Enacts the CROWN Act Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Natural Hair

Littler on

Minnesota has now joined at least 19 other states in enacting a CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.”  The Act, which in Minnesota has come in the form of brief but important...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Massachusetts CROWN Act Goes Into Effect on October 24, 2022

​​​​​​​On July 26, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law “An Act Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Natural and Protective Hairstyles,” popularly known as the Massachusetts CROWN Act. The effective date of the new law...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Update to State’s Pay Transparency Law, Setting Out New Pay Disclosure Requirements

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

​​​​​​​Governor Newsome has signed S.B. 1162, which requires employers to make salary ranges for positions available to both applicants and employees and expands pay data reporting requirements to better identify gender and...more

Venable LLP

Don't Wig Out: What Employers Need to Know About Discrimination Based on Natural and Protective Hair

Venable LLP on

​​​​​​​On July 26, 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair ("CROWN") Act, prohibiting discrimination against employees and students on the basis of natural...more

FordHarrison

Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction to Halt Enforcement of Florida's Stop WOKE Act

FordHarrison on

On August 18, 2022, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida entered a preliminary injunction ordering state officials in Florida to take no steps to enforce HB7, or the “Stop WOKE Act,” while the...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Mass. CROWN Act Provides Anti-Discrimination Protections Based on Natural and Protective Hairstyles

Bowditch & Dewey on

On Tuesday, July 26th, Massachusetts took another significant step towards building an inclusive society when Governor Baker signed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (the “CROWN Act”) into law. The...more

Bowditch & Dewey

New Massachusetts Law Prohibits Discrimination Based on Hairstyle

Bowditch & Dewey on

On July 26, 2022, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law House Bill 4554 – commonly referred to as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act – which bans discrimination based on natural...more

Littler

Massachusetts Enacts Law Banning Discrimination Based on Hair Texture and Style

Littler on

On July 26, 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act that bans discrimination based upon natural and protective hairstyles in...more

Perkins Coie

Florida Bans Mandatory WOKE Workplace Activities

Perkins Coie on

Some employers in Florida will be prohibited from requiring their employees to attend activities that promote or otherwise endorse certain concepts related to race and sex beginning July 1, 2022...more

FordHarrison

Go Woke, Go Broke? Potential Legal Exposure for Florida Diversity Training Starts July 1

FordHarrison on

The “Stop WOKE Act” (HB7) (the “Act”) is set to go into effect on July 1, 2022, following a court decision this week declining to enter an injunction to halt the Act. The Act, among other things, restricts employers from...more

FordHarrison

What is the Stop Woke Act?

FordHarrison on

HB7, commonly known as the Stop Woke Act, is a law that amends the Florida Civil Rights Act to make it unlawful for employers to host mandatory employee trainings that promote certain concepts related to discrimination,...more

Littler

Down But Not Out: U.S. District Court Denies Preliminary Injunction Against Florida “Stop-WOKE” Law

Littler on

On June 27, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida denied a request to enjoin the provisions of Florida HB 7, named the Individual Freedom Act (“IFA”) or the so-called “Stop-WOKE” law (the state’s...more

Littler

First Lawsuit Against Florida’s “Stop WOKE” Bill Filed

Littler on

As we reported previously, Governor DeSantis signed the “Stop WOKE” Act into law on Friday, April 22, 2022. Ten minutes later, five individuals, including three teachers, a student, and an individual consultant who provides...more

Littler

Florida Limits Permissible Workplace Training on Diversity, Implicit Bias, and Systemic Racism

Littler on

On April 22, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law so-called “anti-woke” legislation, amending the Florida Civil Rights Act and potentially limiting the ability of employers to include discussions of “implicit...more

Foley Hoag LLP

NYC Employers Face New Restrictions on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring

Foley Hoag LLP on

As technological advances have given employers artificial intelligence (AI) based tools to assist them in the hiring process, New York City has taken note. Recently, New York City adopted a new measure restricting the use of...more

FordHarrison

New Connecticut Employment Laws

FordHarrison on

As is Connecticut’s tradition, several new laws took effect on October 1, 2021, including a number affecting the employment relationship....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Oregon Enacts Employment Protections for Hairstyles and Other Physical Characteristics Historically Associated With Race

On June 11, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law House Bill 2935, also known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), joining several other states in explicitly prohibiting...more

65 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 3

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide