Chuck Ezell, Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued guidance in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13985 removing DEI policies from the federal government.
President Donald Trump’s administration moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off.
The memorandum reads, in part:
In light of the above Executive Orders, each should take prompt actions regarding the offices and agency sub-units focusing exclusively on DEIA initiatives and programs (the “DEIA offices”). Specifically, agency heads should take the following steps:
1. No later than 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, January 22, 2025
a. Send an agency-wide notice to employees informing them of the closure and asking employees if they know of any efforts to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language a template agency-wide notice is attached as Appendix 1.
b. Send a notification to all employees of DEIA offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives, offices, and programs. A template employee letter is attached as Appendix 2.
c. Take down all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) of DEIA offices.
DEI replaced affirmative action which was systemic racism and thrown out by the Supreme Court.