In an internal memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal, UPS has told employees that it is removing some restrictions on how Black hair can be styled. 

Employees will now be allowed to have mustaches, beards, “afros, braids, curls, coils, locs, twists and knots” but the company added a note that said the styles must be "worn in a businesslike manner and don’t create a safety concern.”

The company has faced backlash and lawsuits over its strict policies on appearance in the past, particularly from Muslim employees.

On their website, UPS tries to mask its harsh, obviously-pointed restrictions around facial hair and locs as a desire to "protect" employees. 

"Generally, individuals are free to trim and shape their hair in any manner that is consistent with their religious beliefs, provided it is not perceived as discriminatory or hateful (e.g., gang symbols, hate symbols, etc.) and does not present a safety concern or an undue hardship on the Company," the company says on its website.

"Religious accommodations do not require beards to be ¼ inch in length or hair to be worn above the collar. Individuals with religious accommodations for hair length or dreadlocks will not be required to cover their hair under wraps or other headwear unless necessary for safety reasons," they add. 

In another section, UPS said employees who ask for a waiver will be given a "conditional approval" unless it "would create a safety risk or undue hardship."

Business Insider reports UPS paid nearly $5 million in 2018 to multiple employees after some sued over the guidelines, saying they were effectively barred from being promoted if they did not shave facial hair.

The company now allows for religious wavers but still has very detailed policies related to how people are allowed to style their hair or wear their facial hair.

In addition to the strict hair rules, the company also forces all employees to hide any tattoos and make sure that any piercings are small.

HuffPost reported that the changes are being made due to new CEO Carol Tomé, who allegedly “listened to feedback from employees and heard that changes in this area would make them more likely to recommend UPS as an employer.” 

In the internal memos seen by The Wall Street Journal, UPS chief human resources officer Charlene Thomas tried to make the change seem like the company embracing their diversity.  

“The new appearance guidelines recognize the beauty in the diversity of all UPSers. We know that UPSers will always be respectful of our culture, our customers and our co-workers when deciding how they show up and act on the job,” Thomas said in the memo.

As Blavity has previously reported, UPS is one of many employers in the United States who have had longstanding, targeted internal rules specifically against Black hairstyles.

Multiple states, including New York and California, have been forced to pass laws that ban companies from discriminating in this fashion, and there has been a movement in recent years to have a federal law in place banning companies from targeting Black people with hair guidelines. 

In September, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act but it has languished in the Republican-led Senate. 

The bill "prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment."

"Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style," the bill summary said. 

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker introduced a version of the CROWN Act in the Senate last year.

“Discrimination against Black hair is discrimination against Black people. Implicit and explicit biases against natural hair are deeply ingrained in workplace norms and society at large. This is a violation of our civil rights, and it happens every day for black people across the country,” Booker said in a statement, according to Blavity. 

Black women are disproportionately affected by unfair hair rules, according to a study from Dove. The study found that Black women’s hair is three times more likely to be deemed unprofessional and 80% of Black women “feel the need to change their hair from its natural state to fit in at the office.”

"The way our hair grows out of our heads should not be seen as a violation. We have a long history and problematic practice of discrimination in this country, and we have to face it head-on. The policing of our bodies is not something that’s new and Eurocentric beauty standards aren’t either. But they do require our attention,” political strategist Adjoa Asamoah told Blavity last year. 

Black-hair-discriminationBraidsCrown-ActlocsUPS