Text Link
Wages and Workers’ Rights
No items found.
No items found.
Wages and Workers’ Rights
No items found.

Policies & Analysis

Learn more about the policies and actions taken by the Trump-Vance administration, and how they threaten communities, freedoms, and democracy.

View all Policies & Analysis

The Trump-Vance Administration is trying to

Intimidate law firms into dropping their DEI programs

What we know

The EEOC sent a letter to 20 law firms with DEI-related employment practices demanding detailed demographic information on their employees and applicants.

Formal Name

EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas Sends Letters to 20 Law Firms Requesting Information About DEI-Related Employment Practices

Status
Challenged
Formal Identifier

n/a

March 17, 2025

Anticipated Impact

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the federal agency charged with enforcing federal laws against workplace discrimination. On March 17, 2025, the Acting Chair of the EEOC sent letters to 20 law firms requesting information about their diversity, equity, and inclusion-related employment practices, wrongly suggesting that lawful, longstanding programs intended to redress or prevent discrimination are themselves discriminatory. The information requested included detailed information about the law firms' applicants and employees, including law students' names, sex, race, contact information, academic performance, compensation, participation in affinity groups, and numerous details about their employment history.

By the Numbers

Partner Analysis

People are fighting back

How communities are responding

Democracy 2025 and our partners are ready to counter threats to people's rights, justice, and equality in courtrooms and communities across the country. Learn more about how people and communities are responding to this harmful policy:

Doe 1 v. EEOC

Three anonymous law students have sued the Trump administration to challenge steps that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken to investigate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices at major law firms. The plaintiffs contend that the EEOC's extensive requests for sensitive personal data of applicants and attorneys at major law firms exceeds the agency’s statutory authority and violates Title VII. According to the complaint, Title VII permits the EEOC to initiate investigations only in response to a written complaint from an employee, and the plaintiffs argue that no such complaint accompanied the EEOC’s March 2025 data requests. Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief.

Learn more

Join the Fight for Democracy

Help us counter unlawful, anti-democratic actions from the Trump-Vance administration and protect people, freedom, and justice.

An illustration of three people, two women and one man, shown in profile and facing left. Each wears glasses, and two wear caps, giving a casual appearance. The background includes red, white, and blue abstract patterns with stars.