For decades, workplace grooming policies have often discriminated—directly or indirectly—against Black employees and others who wear natural hairstyles such as afros, braids, locs, or twists. In response, California became the first state in the U.S. to pass legislation explicitly protecting employees from hair-based discrimination.

In California’s diverse workforce, immigrants are the backbone of many industries—agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and tech among them. Yet for thousands of immigrant workers, discrimination in the workplace remains an all-too-common reality.

Discrimination at work is illegal in California. Here's what you need to know and what you can do about it: