Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (Michigan, as amended)

The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act declares that the opportunity to obtain employment, housing, education, and the full use of public accommodations is a civil right. The Act prohibits discrimination in these areas based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, height, weight, familial status, or marital status. It further provides protections against retaliation for opposing discriminatory practices or participating in related proceedings. Originally enacted in 1976, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act serves as Michigan’s primary anti-discrimination statute and is enforced by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. The 2023 and 2024 amendments expressly added sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of protected classes, codifying protections that Michigan courts had previously recognized through interpretation.
Official Title: Act No. 453, Public Acts of 1976 (as amended through 2024)
Citation: Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 37.2101–37.2804