New rules for public employers, courtesy of the Wyoming Legislature

The Wyoming Legislature has wrapped up its 2025 session but not before adopting several new laws governing public employers. Three of these laws weren’t specifically drafted as employment laws but will have significant impacts on public employers. The new laws are effective July 1, 2025.

No compelled pronouns!

Through a bill entitled “Compelled Speech is not Free Speech” (Enrolled Act 23), the legislature has prohibited the state and all political subdivisions from requiring employees to use other employees’ preferred pronouns. The new law also prohibits public employers from threatening to take any adverse employment action against employees who fail or refuse to use another’s personal pronouns.

The act also suggests that a public employer can’t require the recipient of any public contract, grant, loan, permit, license, or other benefit to use preferred personal pronouns. Any person harmed by violations of this law can file a civil lawsuit against the public employer. Governor Mark Gordon allowed this bill to become law without his signature, recognizing it was “a solution in search of a problem.”

Free exercise of religion