EEOC Litigation and Enforcement in the Early Trump Administration: Key Trends and Implications
The EEOC has filed more than 50 lawsuits since January, reflecting continued enforcement activity despite the Commission’s lack of a quorum. Under the Trump Administration, the agency has shifted priorities— ordering the closure of all pending disparate impact cases and focusing on intentional discrimination (disparate treatment) instead. Disability and pregnancy accommodation disputes, harassment, and retaliation dominate the docket while religious discrimination cases may be trending upward. At the same time, the Administration’s broader push to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts signals heightened risk around “reverse discrimination” claims, requiring employers to reexamine DEI programs and workplace policies. Filings to Date Since January, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed more than 50 new lawsuits, spanning claims of disability discrimination, pregnancy and gender harassment, religion, age, and retaliation. While the volume reflects c...