Justia Connect Webinars The CROWN Act: Legal Framework & Emerging Legislative Gaps

CLE

Tracy Sanders Rucker, Esq. Natural Hair and The Law

The CROWN Act Legal Framework & Emerging Legislative Gaps

Recording Available Soon

The CROWN Act: Legal Framework & Emerging Legislative Gaps

The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act represents one of the most significant civil rights developments in employment law in recent years. Enacted in numerous states and local jurisdictions, CROWN Act legislation expands traditional anti-discrimination protections by expressly prohibiting discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles historically associated with race, including braids, locs, twists, Bantu knots, and afros.

This CLE program provides attorneys with a comprehensive overview of the legal framework governing hair discrimination claims, including the relationship between Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and state CROWN Act legislation. Participants will examine the legal gap highlighted by EEOC v. Catastrophe Management Solutions, review evolving state legislative developments, and analyze enforcement mechanisms across jurisdictions.

This CLE program also explores emerging litigation risks for employers, workforce policy drafting considerations, multi-state compliance challenges, and best strategies for advising clients on workplace appearance and grooming standards. Through statutory analysis and a real-world case study, viewers will gain practical tools to navigate this emerging area of employment law.

Learning Objectives

Define the CROWN Act and explain its relationship to federal anti-discrimination laws.
Analyze the legal distinction between Title VII protections and state CROWN Act protections.
Evaluate significant case law involving hair discrimination claims.
Compare statutory approaches among various CROWN Act jurisdictions.
Identify emerging compliance obligations and litigation risks for employers.
Develop legally compliant workplace grooming and appearance policies.

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: September 4, 2026 11:00 AM PT

Recording Available Soon

Speaker

Tracy Sanders Rucker, Esq. Attorney & Author
Natural Hair and The Law

Tracy Sanders Rucker, Esq. is an attorney, author, and national continuing legal education faculty member focused on civil rights, education law, immigration law, and higher education law. She is the founder of Natural Hair and the Law, author of Natural Hair in the Workplace: What Are Your Rights?, and The CROWN Act Handbook. She presented at Yale University, Sandra Day O'Connor Arizona State University College of Law, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Loyola Law School, and University of the Pacific. Read More ›

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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Alaska CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

California CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 Recognition and Elimination of Bias

Hawaii CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

Illinois CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

New Jersey CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.20 Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Format: On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

Ohio CLE

Status: Approved

Format: On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

Pennsylvania CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 Substantive Law, Practice, and Procedure

Texas CLE

Status: Pending

Format: On-Demand

Credits: TBD

Vermont CLE

Status: Approved

Format: Live (Virtual), On-Demand

Credits: 1.00 General

This presentation is approved for one hour of General CLE credit in Alaska, one hour of Recognition and Elimination of Bias CLE credit in California, one hour of General CLE credit in Hawaii, one hour of General CLE credit in Illinois, one hour of General CLE credit in North Carolina, one hour of General CLE credit in Ohio, one hour of Substantive Law, Practice, and Procedure CLE credit in Pennsylvania, and one hour of General CLE credit in Vermont. This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 1.20 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 1.20 qualify as total hours of credit for Ethics/Professionalism, including 1.20 hours in Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias. An application for accreditation of this activity has been submitted to the MCLE Committee of the State Bar of Texas and is pending.

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