People moving to Massachusetts often research housing costs, schools, taxes, employment laws and other regulations that may differ from those in their current state. Another Massachusetts law newcomers may want to be familiar with is the CROWN Act, which addresses discrimination involving natural and protective hairstyles.
Massachusetts passed its CROWN Act in 2022, adding specific protections related to hair texture, hair type, hair length and protective hairstyles to the Commonwealth’s anti-discrimination laws.
For new residents, the law is particularly relevant in two everyday settings: the workplace and schools.
Massachusetts CROWN Act: The Basics
Status: Passed
Year Passed: 2022
Signed into law: July 26, 2022
Effective date: October 24, 2022
Law: Chapter 117 of the Acts of 2022
The legislation is formally known as An Act Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Natural and Protective Hairstyles.
The law amended Massachusetts statutes to clarify that, when applying state prohibitions against racial discrimination, the definition of race includes certain traits historically associated with race.
Those characteristics include:
- Hair texture
- Hair type
- Hair length
- Protective hairstyles
The law also specifically identifies protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, twists, Bantu knots and hair coverings, while allowing other protective formations to be covered as well.
What Does the CROWN Act Mean in the Massachusetts Workplace?
For people relocating to Massachusetts for a new job, the law is an important part of understanding the Commonwealth’s employment protections.
Massachusetts prohibits employment discrimination based on a number of protected characteristics. Under the CROWN Act, the state’s definition of race for anti-discrimination purposes expressly encompasses certain hair-related characteristics and protective hairstyles.
This means employers should consider Massachusetts anti-discrimination requirements when establishing or enforcing workplace grooming, appearance and hairstyle policies.
For someone transferring to a Massachusetts office or accepting a new position in the state, these protections apply as part of the broader employment-law environment they will encounter after relocating.
What Does the Law Mean for Massachusetts Schools?
Families moving to Massachusetts should also know that the CROWN Act includes protections affecting students.
Massachusetts law prohibits covered schools and school organizations from adopting or implementing policies that impair or prohibit hairstyles historically associated with race.
The protections are relevant not only during the regular school day but also to participation in school activities and athletics.
That makes the law worth knowing about for parents enrolling children in Massachusetts public schools as well as students participating in extracurricular and athletic programs.
What About School Sports?
Athletics are an important component of the Massachusetts CROWN Act.
School policies and athletic requirements can sometimes include rules involving uniforms, equipment, appearance or grooming. Massachusetts law establishes protections intended to prevent hairstyle policies from becoming an impermissible barrier to student participation.
Families moving from another state may therefore find that Massachusetts rules concerning hairstyles in educational and athletic environments differ from those they have previously encountered.
Parents should still review the individual policies of their child’s school and athletic program, particularly where legitimate health, safety or equipment requirements may apply.
What New Massachusetts Residents Should Know
The CROWN Act is ultimately one part of the larger collection of Massachusetts laws governing employment and education.
For newcomers, there are several practical takeaways.
Employees: Massachusetts workplace anti-discrimination protections include certain natural and protective hair characteristics within the state’s definition of race.
Parents: Massachusetts schools are subject to state requirements concerning policies that restrict hairstyles historically associated with race.
Students: The protections can extend to participation in school activities and athletics.
Employers and organizations: Workplace grooming and appearance policies should be developed and administered in accordance with Massachusetts anti-discrimination requirements.
Why This Matters When Moving Between States
State laws can vary considerably, which is why understanding Massachusetts-specific rules can be useful before relocating.
Someone moving to Massachusetts may encounter different employment protections, school regulations, housing laws, tax requirements and consumer protections than they experienced in another state.
The CROWN Act is another example of a Massachusetts-specific law that can affect everyday life after a move.
Rather than establishing an entirely separate category of workplace or school rules, the legislation clarifies how Massachusetts’ existing anti-discrimination framework applies to hair texture, hair type, hair length and protective hairstyles.
What newcomers should remember: Massachusetts law expressly recognizes certain hair characteristics and protective hairstyles within its protections against racial discrimination.
Moving to Massachusetts Means Learning Massachusetts Laws
Relocating to a new state involves more than finding a home and changing an address. New residents also become subject to a different set of state laws governing employment, education, transportation, taxes, housing and many other aspects of daily life.
Massachusetts’ CROWN Act is one of those laws worth knowing.
For employees, parents and students arriving in the Commonwealth, the central point is straightforward: Massachusetts law specifically addresses discrimination involving natural and protective hairstyles and incorporates these protections into the state’s broader anti-discrimination framework.
For newcomers comparing states or preparing for a move, understanding laws such as the CROWN Act can provide a clearer picture of what living, working and attending school in Massachusetts involves.