New clarification to the law prohibiting hairstyle discrimination will go into effect on January 1, 2025. The changes apply to Senate Bill 188, although the change is found in Assembly Bill 1815. The word “historically” is removed, which ensures that no discrimination may occur based on race, hair texture, and/or protective hairstyles.
Additionally, Senate Bill 1137 clarifies that discrimination may not occur on the basis of individual protected trains and the combination of two or more protected traits. This clarification also goes into effect January 1, 2025.
Protected traits under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) include:
- Actual or perceived race
- Medical conditions
- Mental disabilities
- Physical disabilities
- National origin
- Conor
- Religious creed
- Marital status
- Genetic information
- Sex/gender/gender identity/gender expression
- Sexual orientation
- Military/veteran status
This article is informational and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with an employment lawyer or accountant for additional clarification on how these changes impact your company.
