"Black N.J. Police Officer Files Lawsuit Alleging Hair Discrimination by Boss"

A Black police officer in New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against her township and a superior, alleging hair discrimination after she was disciplined for wearing a traditional African hairstyle. Chian Weekes-Rivera, a veteran of the Maplewood Township police department, claims that she was subjected to disciplinary action for having Black hair, in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. The lawsuit references the state's CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race. Weekes-Rivera seeks compensatory and punitive damages, compliance with anti-discrimination laws, and the production of department policies and complaints about her hair.