Late last year, the state of Pennsylvania enacted House Bill 439, also known as the CROWN Act, which stands for the “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” Act. The CROWN Act redefines race discrimination as including discrimination based on any hair type, hairstyle, or head covering that is associated with race or religious expression. The bill amended the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) and officially took effect on January 24th, 2026. While statewide media coverage of the amendment created awareness about the new protections, the Pennsylvania state government has not released any official workplace poster addressing the new law. Similarly, the state has not released any updates to the required Fair Employment notice, leaving it up to employers to determine how to acknowledge and communicate the updates.
What Changed Under the CROWN Act?
The amendment to the PHRA explicitly prohibits discrimination based on hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles commonly associated with race. This includes styles such as braids, locks, twists, and similar natural or cultural expressions. Pennsylvania joins a growing list of 30 states nationwide and several municipalities in recognizing that hair-based discrimination is a form of unlawful racial discrimination in the workplace.
In addition to hairstyle-related protections, the law also adds protection for individuals who wear head coverings for religious reasons. The new head covering provision ensures that employees are protected from discrimination tied to their religious practices, reinforcing existing protections under other anti-discrimination laws.
No Current Poster Requirement or Updated Notice
While the state has implemented these legal changes, no official labor law poster or posting update has been released to reflect the updated requirements since the law took effect. Although the state government may eventually issue an updated version of the required Pennsylvania Fair Employment poster to reflect the new CROWN Act protections, employers can develop their own notices in the interim. Displaying a poster in the workplace proactively communicates these new protections and demonstrates good-faith compliance with the amendment.
Employer Action Steps
To communicate the amendment to employees and job applicants, employers can either develop their own notice or obtain one from a third party while awaiting an official poster update from the Pennsylvania state government. Businesses that choose to proactively demonstrate compliance should display the notice in a visible location where employees and job applicants can access it.
Additionally, Pennsylvania employers who have not already done so should review their employee handbooks and workplace policies to ensure compliance with the amendment. Any grooming or dress code policies that forbid protected hairstyles or coverings must be adjusted. Employers can also train their managers and HR personnel on these recent updates to prevent any unintentional violations. Taking these steps can help business avoid any infractions or complaints that could escalate to legal action.
To help Pennsylvania businesses demonstrate compliance with the new CROWN Act amendment, Labor Law Posters Online has developed a new supplemental poster. Our newly created PA Crown Act notification poster is now included with any purchase of our Pennsylvania All-On-One State and Federal Labor Law Poster as of April 2026. Pennsylvania subscribers to our annual compliance service or our comprehensive compliance plans will receive the newly created poster automatically as part of their subscription.