On October 14, 2025, Cuyahoga County became the first county in Ohio to pass legislation prohibiting discrimination based on natural hairstyles. Modeled after California’s CROWN Act (Creating A Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), the law applies to employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Originally introduced in California in 2019, the CROWN Act has since inspired legislation in more than 25 states and numerous cities.
This legislation protects hairstyles such as afros, locs, braids, twists, and Bantu knots, which are often linked to cultural identity. Even so, employers may still enforce health and safety requirements, provided these are applied fairly and without discriminatory intent.
Complaints will be handled by the Cuyahoga County Human Rights Commission, which has authority to investigate, mediate disputes, hold hearings, and impose civil penalties.
With this new ordinance, employers in Cuyahoga County should consider reviewing grooming and dress code policies to ensure they do not discriminate against natural hair or styles, confirming that any hair-related rules are tied to legitimate business needs, providing training to prevent bias, and establishing clear reporting channels for complaints.
The ordinance will take effect on November 13, 2025, and you can find the ordinance here.