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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60492</law_id><section_number>15.2-1500.1</section_number><catch_line>Employment discrimination prohibited; sexual orientation or gender identity</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="15">Local Government Personnel, Qualification for Office, Bonds, Dual Office Holding and Certain Local Government Officers</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions for Certain Officers and Employees</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Age</span>&#x201D; means being an individual who is at least 40 years of <span class="dictionary">age</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Military status</span>&#x201D; means status as (i) a member of the uniformed forces, as defined in 10 U.S.C. &#xA7; 101(a)(5), of the United States or a reserve component thereof named under 10 U.S.C. &#xA7; 10101, (ii) a veteran as defined in 38 U.S.C. &#xA7; 101(2), or (iii) a dependent as defined in 50 U.S.C. &#xA7; 3911(4) except that the support provided by the service member to the individual shall have been provided 180 days immediately preceding an alleged action that if proven true would constitute unlawful discrimination under this section instead of 180 days immediately preceding an application for relief under 50 U.S.C. Chapter 50.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Religion</span>&#x201D; includes any outward expression of religious faith, including adherence to religious dressing and grooming practices and the carrying or display of religious items or symbols. <a id="paragraph-221173" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1500.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No department, office, board, commission, agency, or instrumentality of <span class="dictionary">local government</span> shall discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, <span class="dictionary">religion</span>, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, <span class="dictionary">age</span>, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or <span class="dictionary">military status</span>. <a id="paragraph-221174" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1500.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The provisions of this section shall not prohibit (i) discrimination in employment on the basis of sex or <span class="dictionary">age</span> in those instances when sex or <span class="dictionary">age</span> is a bona fide occupational qualification for employment or (ii) providing preference in employment to veterans. <a id="paragraph-221175" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1500.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, cc. 1137, 1140; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 477, 478; 2022, c. 799.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
