News & Analysis as of

Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) Employment Discrimination Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

U.S. Attorney General Issues New Guidance on DEI Programs and Policies

On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney General issued a memorandum that “clarifies the application of federal antidiscrimination laws to programs or initiatives that may involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Water Cooler Talk: ‘Late Night’ Shows DEI Is More Than Optics

Troutman Pepper Locke on

The 2019 film “Late Night,” written by and starring Mindy Kaling, tells the story of a late-night talk show host, Katherine Newbury, played by Emma Thompson, whose all-male, all-white writing staff scrambles to add a female...more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

“Reverse Discrimination” Cases Subject to Same Evidentiary Standard Says Supreme Court

Can members of a majority group be subject to a heightened pleading standard for their Title VII discrimination claims? The United States Supreme Court answered this question with a unanimous “no” in Ames v. Ohio Department...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

U.S. Supreme Court Reconciles Circuit Split Regarding Standard for “Reverse Discrimination” Claims

On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, rejecting the “background circumstances” requirement multiple circuit courts of appeals have applied to Title...more

Stevens & Lee

Does Your DEI Program Violate the False Claims Act?

Stevens & Lee on

On May 19, 2025, the DOJ announced the establishment of the “Civil Rights Fraud Initiative,” which seeks to use the False Claims Act (FCA) to investigate, and possibly take civil action against, recipients of federal funds...more

Carlton Fields

DOJ Forms Civil Rights Fraud Initiative: A New Branch of False Claims Act Enforcement

Carlton Fields on

On May 19, 2025, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the formation of a Civil Rights Fraud Initiative “to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly...more

Mintz

[Podcast] Mintz on Air: Practical Policies - DEI Diplomacy

Mintz on

In the latest episode of the Mintz on Air: Practical Policies podcast, Member Jen Rubin explores the concept of ‘DEI Diplomacy’ with Associate Corbin Carter and how the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion is...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

New Leadership at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Signals Potential Overhaul of Affirmative Action Compliance...

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the appointment of Catherine Eschbach as Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the agency charged with overseeing regulation and...more

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

Affinity Groups Potentially Unlawful, According to Recent EEOC and DOJ Guidance

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP on

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, including race and sex. However, Title VII does not define Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) in the...more

Benesch

Trump’s Anti-DEI Agenda Remains at Center Stage

Benesch on

Since Trump’s first day back in office, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) has been at the forefront of political discourse. As we previously reported, Trump issued several Executive Orders targeting DEI efforts and...more

Adams & Reese

The Future of DEI Under Trump’s Second Administration

Adams & Reese on

Every time a new President is elected, we employment lawyers write an article of some version of “What to Expect.” Many of my colleagues have written excellent articles on this topic, and the Trump administration has given us...more

Baker Donelson

Unpacking the U.S. Attorney General's "Ending Illegal DEI and DEIA Discrimination Preferences" Memo

Baker Donelson on

The U.S. Attorney General's Office issued a Memorandum, on February 5, 2025, to the employees of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) directing the DOJ Civil Rights Division to "investigate, eliminate, and penalize illegal...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

What to Know About the War Being Waged Against DEI

Can you still have DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs? How about affirmative action plans? The Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard garnered national attention in holding...more

Cozen O'Connor

Costco Urged by Republican AGs to Repeal DEI Policies

Cozen O'Connor on

A group of 19 Republican AGs announced that they have sent a letter to Costco Wholesale Corporation, warning that its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies may violate state and federal civil rights laws prohibiting...more

CDF Labor Law LLP

New Executive Order Targets Federal DEI Practices

CDF Labor Law LLP on

On January 21, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order entitled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (the “Order”). The Order states that over 60 years following the enactment...more

Butler Snow LLP

Trump and DEI: What Does a Second Term Mean for Employers?

Butler Snow LLP on

In the flurry of executive orders issued shortly after being sworn for a second term, President Donald Trump issued two executive orders and one presidential action dismantling all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)...more

McGlinchey Stafford

Will DEI Programs Become Extinct Under the Trump Administration?

McGlinchey Stafford on

In an effort to embrace diversity and inclusion, many employers established Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The look of these programs varied from company to company; however, many of the programs...more

ArentFox Schiff

What Employers and Nonprofits Should Know About Trump’s Executive Order Banning Diversity Preferences

ArentFox Schiff on

Following his inauguration on January 20, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including a handful related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives....more

DCI Consulting

President Trump Revokes Executive Order 11246

DCI Consulting on

Last night, President Trump revoked Executive Order 11246 with a new Order titled, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." This new Order effectively ends affirmative action in employment while...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The inexorable zero. The assault on workplace DEI. And four tips for avoiding the attack.

Inexorable. Something that cannot be moved, stopped, persuaded, or altered. In Title VII parlance, the "inexorable zero" is the complete absence of a protected group from a workforce or job classification. When accompanied...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Ten ways to avoid challenges to DEI initiatives

How prepared is your organization? Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies have faced increased...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

State Attorneys General Clash Over the Legality of DEI Initiatives

Husch Blackwell LLP on

From Congress’ recently proposed “Dismantle DEI Act of 2024” to the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit’s decision permitting mandatory diversity training by employers, diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Missouri sues IBM over alleged diversity quotas

State Attorney General follows through on threat. Last summer, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v....more

McCarter & English, LLP

Developing Effective and Legally Compliant DEI Policies

Corporate policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are being subjected to increased scrutiny and legal challenges even as the US workforce becomes more diverse on nearly every measure—race, sex, gender identity,...more

Jenner & Block

DEI in the Crosshairs: Reflections On 2023 And Predictions For 2024

Jenner & Block on

From the classroom to the boardroom, attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) gained significant momentum in 2023. Bolstered by their victory at the Supreme Court in the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) cases,...more

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