Former EEOC Officials Defend DEI Programs in Response to Acting Chair’s Technical Assistance
On April 3, 2025, a group of former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) officials issued a statement defending specific employer diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in response to technical assistance issued by the acting director of the EEOC last month. Quick Hits A group of former EEOC officials has issued a statement asserting that employers can implement specific DEI programs without violating antidiscrimination laws, despite recent technical assistance from the acting chair of the EEOC that could classify such initiatives as unlawful discrimination. The former officials argued that proactive efforts to promote diversity and equal opportunity are essential and can be executed lawfully. They identified specific DEI-related initiatives: antidiscrimination training, employee resource groups, broader recruitment efforts, and demographic data collection, as lawful practices that can help employers prevent unlawful discrimination. In the lengthy statement, the...