February 27, 2024 (Sacramento, CA) — The Sikh Coalition is proud to announce our sponsorship of AB 2321, introduced on February 9 by California Assemblymember Liz Ortega and developed in partnership with the Sikh Coalition and our legal allies.
The bill was introduced a year after the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) rolled out an updated policy that forces bearded peace officers, including those who previously held religious or medical accommodations, to shave or face disciplinary sanctions up to and including termination. This policy change, announced with no notice in February 2023, disproportionately impacts Black and brown CDCR peace officers; Black officers are far more likely to suffer from Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), a medical condition that causes painful skin inflammation and scarring exacerbated by shaving, and Sikhs and other religious minorities keep facial hair as an article of faith.
AB2321 would require CDCR to adhere to its obligation, under existing federal and state law, to provide employees with reasonable and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the employee’s individual needs. It would also require the development and implementation of a step-by-step process for submitting accommodation requests and the interactive process CDCR will follow in engaging with these requests—including timelines for review and the rights of peace officers to appeal any denials.
“We thank Assemblymember Liz Ortega for working with us to introduce AB 2321,” said Sikh Coalition Senior State Policy Manager Punnet Kaur Sandhu. “This bill will be a critical first step in ensuring that the largest public employer in the state of California adheres to their duty to provide safe and fair accommodations to its employees while respecting their right to practice their religion; it will also require inclusive policies moving forward to address the harmful impact of this change.”
This legislative effort complements an existing legal campaign to address the discrimination that immediately resulted from this CDCR policy. Over the past year, the Sikh Coalition has joined with legal partners and co-counsel to retain seven clients who have suffered due to the policy, from being threatened with termination to using paid time off or sick leave while waiting for an accommodation. To date, we and our allies have filed charges of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission outlining these cases as a prelude to further legal action.
“The Sikh Coalition is committed to fighting these cases for their clients and the broader community,” said Sikh Coalition Legal Director Giselle Klapper “We are grateful for the introduction of AB 2321 as it will complement our work as we continue to fight for employees’ rights to maintain their faith and health while working in any CDCR institution. Members of all racial and religious communities, including Sikhs, have the right to work without having to choose between their religious beliefs and their job duties.”
Previously, the Sikh Coalition mobilized more than 400 sangat members to reach out to key California legislators about the situation at CDCR. In the weeks and months ahead, we look forward to again working with sangat to move this bill forward through the California Assembly and Senate; stay tuned for further updates. We firmly believe that ending this kind of discrimination—against Sikhs and others—by the state’s largest public employer will have positive effects for Sikhs across all professions in the Golden State.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.