Sexual Orientation Discrimination in California — What FEHA Protects and What Employers Cannot Do

California has prohibited sexual orientation discrimination in employment since 1992 — more than two decades before the U.S. Supreme Court extended federal protection to LGBTQ+ workers nationwide. For California employees, this means some of the strongest and most comprehensive protections in the country apply to every aspect of their employment — from hiring to promotion to termination. If you have experienced adverse treatment at work because of your sexual orientation, California law gives you real legal recourse with substantial remedies.