President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs across the U.S. The government is renewing debate over what DEI is and whether it has benefited workers and companies.
The DEI programs are rooted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which secured employment discrimination based on sex, color, race, and religion. In subsequent years, ranges of policies have sought to root out biases in hiring, promote fairness in the workspace and open career pathways for people of color and women and also expanding to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
The push had gained momentum after the infamous murder of George Floyd in 2020, since politicians and social activists pressed companies to do their part in confronting systematized racism. Although President Trump’s first day back in the office has criticized DEI as “illegal and immoral”, eventually having the U.S, Office Personnel Management called for all federal DEI employees to be placed on a leave.
DEI is frequently misperceived as that it only focuses on race, according to our DEI experts. However, these initiatives surround various practices designed to support diverse marginalized groups within the workplace. An example of this would be a policy that accommodates working parents; having flexible work hours, could qualify as an DEI. While some even claim that DEI itself promotes racism, defenders argue that their policies seek to foster diversity and inclusion within organizations that aren’t in conflict with those that seek to reward the most talented or hardest working employees.
Many employees are disappointed in companies removing the DEI programs. Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Meta have pulled back on their DEI efforts after President Trump directed federal agencies to dismantle these programs and called on private businesses to end what he also described as “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.” Target has sparked some backlash since they have a longstanding reputation for inclusivity; a key factor in drawing attention to younger and more diverse shoppers.
As a high school student who is also a part of the working field with a part-time job, I have firsthand experience with this program. Most of my co-workers are hispanic, and removing this program will directly affect the hiring process for non-english speakers. Sometimes when we are hiring, we allow one of the workers who speaks fluent Spanish translate during the interview process. Taking this away will negatively impact employees based upon their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation etc.
