Every individual in the city has the right to work and earn wages through gainful employment. Discriminatory employment practices are detrimental because they impede the social and economic progress of the city by preventing all of the city's citizens from contributing to or fully participating in the cultural, spiritual, social and commercial life of the community, which is essential to the growth and vitality of the city's neighborhoods and businesses. The Utah antidiscrimination act, Utah code section 34A-5-101 et seq., addresses employment related discrimination based on race; color; sex; pregnancy; childbirth, or pregnancy related conditions; religion; national origin; age (if 40 years of age or older); and disability, but does not address discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The city has found that discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity must be addressed. The denial or deprivation of employment rights because of an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity is detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the city's citizens and damages the city's economic well being. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a clear and comprehensive mandate for the prevention and elimination of discrimination in employment in the city against individuals based upon sexual orientation or gender identity and this chapter shall be liberally construed to achieve that purpose. (Ord. 63-09 § 1, 2009)