NDO: Employment

In the absence of federal or state nondiscrimination protections, many municipalities have taken action to protect their LGBTQ community members from discrimination. These local nondiscrimination ordinances (NDOs) do so by prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in private employment, housing, and/or public accommodations.

This map shows the percent of each state’s population that is protected from private employment discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. This map also shows statewide employment nondiscrimination laws (dark green, no pin) and statewide laws prohibiting local ordinances (orange stripe). For more information about a state’s coverage, including whether there are fewer protections for gender identity than sexual orientation, please see the city and county tab, or the detailed information in each state’s profile by clicking on that state in the map below.

State law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

(22 states + D.C.)

State law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation only

(2 states)

No state law explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity

(26 states)

State law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation only and state law bans local-level nondiscrimination protections that are more inclusive than the state's law

(1 state)

State law bans local-level nondiscrimination protections that are more inclusive than the state's law

(3 states)

Percent of the state population protected by local ordinances from discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity

(29 states)

*In certain states the state’s employment nondiscrimination law does not explicitly enumerate sexual orientation or gender identity, but the state’s agency or attorney general has stated it explicitly interprets the state’s existing protections against sex discrimination to include protections for both sexual orientation and gender identity. For more detail, see the state employment law map and corresponding citation sheets.
*Wisconsin‘s nondiscrimination law explicitly enumerates sexual orientation, but not gender identity. As a result, 100% of Wisconsin residents are protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation, but residents are only protected from discrimination based on gender identity if their local city or county has enacted such protections.

Note that enforcement mechanisms within these ordinances vary by jurisdiction. Note also that some jurisdictions may prohibit discrimination in public employment (i.e., government employees only), but only ordinances that prohibit discrimination in private employment are included here.

Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project. “Equality Maps: Local Nondiscrimination Ordinances.” https://mapresearch.org/map-sections/employment/ Accessed June 12, 2026.

Click here for a list of city and county ordinances by state.