May 2022: Maine Governor Signs Amendment into Law for Hair Discrimination

Update Applicable to:
All employers in the state of Maine

What happened?
On April 20, 2022, Governor Mills signed an amendment into law which will prohibit discrimination in employment based on hair texture or hairstyle.

What are the details?
Effective July 19, 2022, race discrimination in employment will include discrimination on the basis of traits associated with race, including hair texture, Afro hairstyles, and “protective hairstyles,” such as braids, twists, and locs.

For more information, please see the links below:

S.P. 237 – L.D. 598

Article

What do employers need to do?
Employers should review the links provided above and educate their managers to ensure they do not discriminate employees not only with race, but with hair texture and/or hairstyle.