Contractors that do business with the federal government, according to the Labor Department, employ roughly 26 million people, 22% of the national workforce. In exchange for federal work, contractors have to agree not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or sex. But the legal protections do not extend to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Federal legislation to prohibit employment discrimination against gay people has been introduced in virtually every congressional session for the past two decades with no success. Chances are minuscule that its fate in this session will be any different. Gay rights advocates fear that gay and transgender employees of federal contractors could be left vulnerable for years to come if a Republican takes the White House. There is an alternative, they argue: President Obama can act now through an executive order to extend such protections.