Commonly, federal laws provide most of the provisions and protections known as employment discrimination laws. However, some states elect, on their own accord, to offer their workers further and expanded levels of protection as well. In the event a state offers more favorable protection than federal laws, the state laws become the applicable standard in that jurisdiction. At the very minimum, each state must afford workers the level of employment discrimination protection that federal law offers, or face employment discrimination lawsuits. Additionally, especially regarding the areas of gender identity and sexual identity discrimination, some states have bodies of legal protection, which the federal laws simply do not offer at any level. When considering legal action for violations of your employment rights, first review all applicable federal laws, then analyze whether your state, or even local government, offers further protections not specifically mentioned in the existing federal laws.