A recent email from President Trump’s Department of Labor has come down like an axe on workplace equality. The email, titled “Reporting DEI-Related Discrimination, Retaliation and Related Whistleblower Disclosures.” DEI has roots dating back to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and was meant to protect against discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, disability status, age, and military or veteran status. Prior to the Trump administration, you would have to report any activity that went against DEI at the workplace where as now with the Trump administration they now urge reports from activity showing DEI compliance.
The email was sent from “DOL Guidance and Information,” yet it had no signature. It feels like being harassed or bullied by an unknown number that is too afraid to admit it was them who sent it. DEI was developed so that advancements and punishments were based on your actions, regardless of discriminatory factors.
This isn’t just another hit to DEI, but instead a reminder that the Trump administration doesn’t approve of DEI or equality. Since the Trump administration left office in 2020, two-thirds of Americans surveyed agree that racial tensions have increased. Before the dismissal of federal DEI programs, there was required training to fight against racism and racial bias to educate and promote development based on performance instead of race or anything else covered under DEI.
The Trump administration claims that DEI programs force companies to promote people covered by the DEI umbrella rather than promote them based on performance. Only the groups under DEI will feel the true effect of the DEI programs being dismantled. Many have claimed the Trump administration promotes ideas based on white supremacy, and now, as the DOL reminds its employees not to engage in DEI activities, it reminds the American people that the current administration doesn’t promote equality, but instead is fueling the hate that has blankted America since Trump has took office.
