Anti-discrimination laws are popping up all across the country, including the Oregon Crown Act, which adds two definitions to the state statute, defining “protective hairstyle” and “race.” The state joins New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, New Mexico, and Nebraska in preventing race-based hair discrimination. In California, a new law was signed that will require approved schools of nursing and nursing programs to include one hour of implicit bias training as part of the program’s graduation requirement. North Carolina has adopted new anti-discrimination laws at the city and state levels, while Illinois has signed into law the Illinois Human Rights Act, prohibiting employers from considering an applicant and an employee’s criminal conviction record when making employment decisions.
