Legal Question in Business Law in California

Yes. First of all, "discrimination" falls into two categories: unlawful discrimination and lawful discrimination. Some people mistakenly think that all discrimination is illegal, and indeed some kinds are -- such as racial discrimination. However, the definition of "discrimination" is something more like "distinguish" than it is "bear prejudice" or similar concepts that are necessarily bad.

In the USA, certain limited kinds of discrimination have been declared unlawful by our Supreme Court. The list is pretty short, and includes declaring discrimination based upon race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, and perhaps a couple other categories to be unlawful. Until declared unlawful by Constitution, statute and/or court decision, discrimination is lawful.

So, back to your question. Yes, an employer can demote or fire you based on your hair color, and that's true whether it's natural or dyed. It's sometimes said that an employee can be fired for a good reason, or for no reason at all, but not for a bad reason. Unfortunately, the list of bad reasons is very short.

My answer might be different if your employment were governed by a personal employment contract or by a union collective-bargaining agreement. In such a case, I'd have to say consult your contract or talk to your union representative.

I agree with Mr. Whipple.

Your employer has the right to change the dress code at any time. He or she is not bound by the code in place at the time of your hiring. I see no discrimination here based on race, gender, or other unlawful basis, and I assume you do not belong to a union.

California is an "at-will" state, meaning your employer can terminate you for any reason that does not violate the law, or for no reason at all. Unfortunately, you must either comply or seek employment elsewhere.