A number of long-standing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs inside the federal government have been dismantled by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. Although these modifications weaken anti-discrimination and affirmative action guidelines, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (EEOA) of 1972, which serves as the foundation for workplace safeguards, is unaffected.
The action is part of a larger campaign by Trump and many Republicans to oppose DEI policies, which they claim hurt majority groups. The administration wants to reinstate what it refers to as “merit-based” employment standards by rescinding executive orders that date back decades.
Executive Order Repeals Decades of Diversity Policies
A number of presidential directives intended to prevent discrimination and promote diversity in government employment have been repealed by Trump‘s executive order, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” Among these is Executive Order 11246 issued by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, which forbade discrimination on the basis of gender, race, and religion in the workplace and required affirmative action for government contractors. In order to integrate the federal personnel and contractors, this move was essential.
Several measures put forth by Democratic presidents were likewise revoked by the edict. For instance, an executive order issued by President Barack Obama in 2011 mandated that federal agencies create and update diversity and inclusion plans on a regular basis. In a similar vein, a 2016 letter from the Obama administration offered recommendations for increasing diversity in national security personnel.
Trump also overturned an executive order issued by President Bill Clinton in 1994 that addressed the health and environmental effects on minority and low-income areas. Federal contractors who were previously bound by the repealed measures have a 90-day window to comply with these revisions, which go into effect immediately.
Legal Limits and Preserved Protections Under the Eeoa
Trump’s executive order does not change the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (EEOA) of 1972, which is the cornerstone of anti-discrimination rules in the workplace, even though it reverses important diversity-focused directives. President Richard Nixon signed the law, which forbids discrimination in the workplace on the basis of age, handicap, sex, race, color, and religion. Additionally, it gives the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission the authority to enforce the requirements that businesses make reasonable accommodations for religious activities.
Because the EEOA is a law passed by Congress, it cannot be undone by an executive order. Trump’s order, therefore, focuses solely on removing supplemental policies introduced by past administrations rather than altering the fundamental legal framework for workplace protections.
Critics argue that rescinding these policies undermines decades of progress toward equal opportunity. Supporters of the move, however, contend that the executive order restores fairness by prioritising merit-based hiring over what they view as divisive DEI practices.
The executive order’s implications will be closely watched as the federal workforce and contractors adjust to the changes. While protections under the EEOA remain intact, the removal of complementary policies marks a significant shift in federal employment practices.
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