Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro signed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, which amended the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) by expanding the definition of race to include traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, protective hairstyles, and religious creed. In adopting the law, Pennsylvania joined 27 other states which previously had prohibited discrimination based on one’s hair or appearance. Similar protections have been in place at the city and county level in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County since 2020. Under the Act, which takes effect January 24, 2026, employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees and job applicants based on hairstyles (such as locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions), with built-in exceptions for safety policies that are applied equally to all employees and applicants.
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