Can I sue my security company for denying me work because my hair is in its natural state?
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Can I sue my security company for denying me work because my hair is in its natural state?
They told me my hair isn’t done and I cannot work at this location until it is done or they will just remove me from the site.
Asked on January 13, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, New York
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
If they have a grooming code or standards, and your hair violates those standards, and it is possible for our hair, with the correct styling, to meet those standards (there is no inherent medical or genetic reason why it is impossible for your hair to meet the grooming standards), then yes, they can do this, just as company can have a dress code requiring employees to buy expensive suits or dresses.
If you literally cannot meet the "hair code" and if the code is designed to exclude your race, that may be illegal employment discrimination: for example, a company can't choose to only hire natural blonds, since that would exclude people of Asian, Afrian, Native American, etc. descent. But--and please note: I personally know very little about hair, since I keep my own hair essentially in a crewcut so as to be able to ignore it; therefore, if I am making a factual error here, I apologize--a company could require that hair be straight and not more than a certain length, since it's my understanding that anyone could straighen their hair.
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