A former commissioner from one of the nation’s primary civil rights bodies, Jocelyn Samuels, withdrew her lawsuit against President Donald Trump on Monday. This decision follows a recent Supreme Court verdict increasing the president’s control over independent agencies. Trump’s removal of Samuels and another Democratic member from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) marked a significant shift in civil rights enforcement. His administration aims to eliminate diversity and inclusion practices while focusing on discrimination claims from white and U.S.-born workers.
The EEOC has unveiled a regulatory agenda endorsing these objectives. It plans to halt its annual collection of workplace demographic data and rescind guidance warning against requiring employees to exclusively speak English. Trump’s removal of Samuels and Charlotte Burrows before their terms concluded was a first for the EEOC, an agency created by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Currently, the EEOC comprises two Republicans and one Democrat, with two seats unfilled.
Samuels’ lawsuit argued that staggered terms for commissioners were established to ensure agency stability and independence from political influence. But the Supreme Court ruling supports Trump’s dismissal actions, asserting that the EEOC is under executive control. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas supported this ruling publicly, aligning with Trump’s civil rights strategies.
The agency’s sole Democratic commissioner, Kalpana Kotagal, opposed the regulatory agenda. She argues that these changes weaken worker protections and hinder investigative efforts. The agenda proposes ending a 40-year requirement for large companies to report workforce demographic data to the EEOC. Lucas expressed concerns about using such data to justify what she deems discriminatory diversity practices.
Conservative critics claim demographic data suggestions lead to assumptions of discrimination due to workforce imbalances. However, supporters argue that the surveys help trace discrimination patterns and advancements since the Civil Rights Act. Kotagal criticized the move to stop data collection, especially as the EEOC is understaffed and underfunded.
The EEOC also plans to withdraw the 1980 guidelines on national origin discrimination, which relate to English-only workplace rules. This move has faced opposition for potentially fostering discriminatory environments. Last week, the EEOC repealed guidelines for voluntary affirmative action to enhance diversity, reversing earlier views favoring programmatic recruitment efforts.
Lastly, the EEOC intends to revise regulations for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, focusing on workplace accommodations excluding abortion-related situations. While the Associated Press’ coverage of women in the workforce is supported by Pivotal Ventures, all content responsibility lies solely with AP.