Pennsylvania employers, educational institutions, places of public accommodation, housing accommodation and commercial property entities are all affected by amendments to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), which took effect on Aug. 17. These enhanced protections broadly expanded the definitions of race, sex and religion.

For the first time, Pennsylvania law specifies that discrimination on the basis of race includes hairstyles associated with race and discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and asexuality). Previously, these traits were not statutorily proscribed. The regulations also redefine certain terms under the PHRA and clarify protections regarding discrimination on the basis of sex, race and religious creed with the goal of interpreting and consistently applying unlawful discriminatory practices prohibited by the PHRA.