1 year into Trump 2.0, HR professionals are ‘caught in the middle’ of the DEI debate
Summary
One year into President Trump’s second term, federal actions and EEOC shifts have pushed anti-DEI policy into the private sector, leaving HR teams balancing compliance risk and inclusion goals. On Inauguration Day the administration rescinded a Biden-era mandate requiring agency equity teams and moved to cut DEI programmes at government entities and federal contractors. The EEOC has stepped away from disparate-impact enforcement and narrowed earlier guidance protecting LGBTQ+ workers. Executive orders and litigation have prompted many companies to scale back DEI work while others resist or face legal challenges.
Experts say these moves have created a chilling effect: employers are abandoning equity programmes, workers facing discrimination have fewer avenues for recourse, and broader workplace policies (from pay and family leave to childcare support) may be harder to advance. HR leaders are being urged to review DEI initiatives for legal compliance but not to abandon efforts that reduce bias and protect staff.
Key Points
- Jan 20 2025 executive orders rescinded the requirement for federal equity teams and targeted DEI programmes at government entities and contractors.
- The EEOC has shifted away from disparate-impact enforcement and rescinded or narrowed guidance on protections for LGBTQ+ workers.
- Some major employers (for example Morgan Stanley and Capital One) scaled back DEI work; others (Apple, Costco) kept programmes and faced political or legal pushback.
- Advocates say federal anti-DEI policy normalises discrimination and has a chilling effect that causes employers to drop equity initiatives, leaving HR professionals stuck between compliance and inclusion goals.
- Policy changes risk reversing workplace progress for women (wages and participation) and complicate access to paid family leave and childcare funding.
- Practical advice for HR: audit DEI programmes for compliance with federal law, document nondiscriminatory business reasons for initiatives, and maintain core anti-discrimination protections.
Why should I read this?
Look — if you do HR, this is worth a quick read. The White House and EEOC moves are reshaping what you can and can’t safely do on DEI. This summary saves you time: it pulls together the legal shifts, how employers reacted, and the immediate implications for policy, compliance and people management so you can act before the next compliance headache lands on your desk.
Source
Source: https://www.hrdive.com/news/one-year-trump-administration-second-term-work/810065/