Employment / 1 min read
Governor Abbott signed House Bill 567, the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act, into law in Texas. The CROWN Act was first passed in the City of Austin last summer and, as expected, is now active state-wide. The act seeks to eliminate discrimination based on a person’s hair texture or hairstyle in Texas employment, education, and housing opportunities.
Texas’ CROWN Act amends the Texas Labor Code to prohibit “discrimination because of or on the basis of an employee’s hair texture or protected hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.” “Protected Hairstyles” include braids, locks, and twists. The CROWN Act further provides that it is an “unlawful employment practice” to adopt or enforce “a dress or grooming policy that discriminates against a hair texture or protected hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.”
The Act will apply to employers with 15 or more employees for 20 or more weeks in the current or preceding year. The Act's effective date is September 1, 2023, and its amendments will only apply to an unlawful employment practice that occurs on or after that date.
To ensure compliance, Texas employers should take proactive measures now and review dress code and personal appearance policies, as well as integrate these updates into management training.
Andrews Myers, P.C.’s employment lawyers have extensive experience modifying company policies to best suit our clients’ needs.