Episode 28: New York State Enacts Law Prohibiting Hairstyle Discrimination

In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partner Evandro Gigante and associate Laura Fant discuss the recent New York law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain hairstyles.  This law expands the definition of race under the New York State Human Rights Law to now expressly include “traits historically associated with race,” which include but are not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles.  Employers should tune in to see what impact the new law may have on the scope of race discrimination claims and what changes to polices or practices should be implemented when thinking about this new law.