On July 24, 2024, Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi Urrutia (“the Governor”), signed into law Act 106-2024, known as the “Act Against Discrimination on the Basis of Hairstyles.”
This Law prohibits as public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico the discrimination against persons for the use of various protective hairstyles and hair textures that are regularly associated with racial and national origin identities in the offering of public services, employment, education and housing, both in the public and private sectors. For purposes of this Law, protective hairstyles and hair textures include, among other, rolls or tight curls, locs, glued braids, cornrows, twist braids, braids, Bantu knots and afros.
Accordingly, this Law amends Law 90-2020, known as the Act to Prohibit and Prevent Workplace Harassment in Puerto Rico, to establish that mocking an employee or making comments directed at an employee’s physical appearance, dress, or protective hairstyles and hair textures that are regularly associated with racial and national origin groups will be considered conduct constituting workplace harassment.
This Law also amends Law 100-1959, known as the Puerto Rico Antidiscrimination Act, to include as protected class hairstyles and hair textures that are regularly associated with racial and national origin identities. As such, no employer may suspend, refuse to hire, dismiss or in any other form harm a person in employment for having protective hairstyles and hair textures that are regularly associated with a particular racial and national origin identities.
Finally, all employers and private educational institutions must adopt or modify their regulations to comply with the requirements of this Law.
Law 106-2024 became effective immediately upon the Governor’s signature.