Hair-bias laws are expanding into the local level.

• Position: In The News...

Maryland's most populous county (Montgomery) last month became the first county in the nation to establish a law that bans employment discrimination based on a person's hairstyle. California, New York and New Jersey have passed statewide protections; and Oregon, Colorado and Washington are among the states considering their own bills. Employers often get into trouble with this issue by setting policies that require "professional" dress and hair, and then punishing for hairstyles like afros, braids and twists that people...