Federal DEI Staffers Put on Emergency Leave

In a sudden move, the White House has ordered all employees in federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices to take paid administrative leave effective immediately. This action is part of a series of changes from the new administration, following through on a campaign promise to limit DEI programs. A memo from the Office of Personnel Management directed agencies to notify their DEI staffers by 5:00 PM on Wednesday and to take steps to close all DEIA initiatives. The memo also instructed agencies to remove DEI offices’ websites and social media accounts, and to cancel any related trainings. This comes just one day after President Trump signed an executive order banning DEI programs entirely. A White House fact sheet detailed that the administration aims to streamline the federal contracting process and to stop contractors from balancing their workforce based on certain factors. Under former President Biden, DEI protections in government workplaces were expanded to include a wider range of Americans. However, critics argue that these programs are discriminatory and unfairly target certain groups, while supporters maintain that they are misunderstood and beneficial. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense are among the major federal agencies with DEI offices. Some federal departments even have entire offices dedicated to DEI initiatives. The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle these programs may face legal challenges, with numerous civil rights and advocacy groups preparing to take action.