Trump puts all US Government diversity staff on paid leave, starting ‘immediately’

Thursday, 23 January 2025 05:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order, calling for an end to “dangerous, demeaning, and immoral” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes.

In a memo from US Government agency the Office of Personal Management (OPM), obtained by the BBC’s US news partner CBS, heads of DEI initiatives and programs are told to follow this timeline:

Agencies have until 12 p.m. EST (17:00 GMT) on Thursday to report how they’ve complied with implementing the memorandum
Agencies have until 5 p.m. EST (22:00 GMT) on 31 January to submit plan to the OPM, which should outline “reduction-in-force action”

It says employees must divulge any efforts by staff to “disguise” the programs by using “coded or imprecise language”, adding: “Failure to report this information within 10 days may results in adverse consequences”.

According to an executive order, signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, the US Justice Department must also make recommendations to encourage the private sector “educational agencies” receiving federal funds to end DEI programs.

DEI refers to a combination of steps and policies carried out by several organisations, both in the public and private sector, to support people from different backgrounds, namely those who are often underrepresented.

Different backgrounds and lived experiences include myriad characteristics, including someone’s gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religious beliefs or disabilities.

The idea behind these policies is to address systemic injustices, like historic sexism and racism, which have prevented some groups of individuals from having the same access to jobs and industries as their peers.

Another term that has been used a lot is DEIA, which extends to include accessibility policies. This means providing resources and support to help those with disabilities in the workplace.