The Trump administration has made its campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion a centerpiece of its policy platform. Now, the Department of Labor is pushing its employees to actively participate in the anti-DEI campaign, calling on employees to report one another for practicing DEI.
Reporting federal employees for ‘DEI-related discrimination’
Wired reported that an internal memo was recently circulated within the Department of Labor (DOL) calling on employees to report others within the department. The email laid out the administration’s stance on DEI practices, which it interprets as discriminatory by nature. “DEI-related discrimination occurs when any employment action (hiring, promotion, training access, mentoring, assignments, awards, etc.) is motivated in whole or in part by an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or other protected characteristics.”
The memo describes examples of so-called “DEI-related discrimination,” such as “restricting networking events or professional development to specific racial, sex, or ethnic groups” or “awarding recognition, compensation, or opportunities based in part on contribution to ‘diversity goals’ rather than metrics.” It also condemns “any preference or disparate treatment justified by ‘diversity’ or ‘equity.’”
The message, titled “Reporting DEI-Related Discrimination, Retaliation, and Related Whistleblower Disclosures,” was not signed by any particular official but came from the agency’s “DOL Guidance and Information” account. The email includes details for how employees can file whistleblower complaints against their colleagues with the Office of Special Counsel. The memo also specifies that the statute of limitations for such alleged violations is three years, an apparent implication that employees could still be reported for actions performed during the latter part of the Biden administration. One DOL employee, who asked Wired for anonymity to speak without fear of retaliation, interpreted the memo as a “reminder to narc on your coworkers for doing DEI.”
Trump’s campaign against diversity
President Trump immediately began implementing anti-DEI orders and policies upon returning to the White House in 2025. By executive order, all federal agencies were told to close their DEI offices and place employees of those offices on leave. The administration declared that the federal government would no longer recognize holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month and National American Indian Heritage Month. Government websites, as well as federally operated facilities such as national parks and museums, have removed or censored information relating to Black history, slavery, racism and other topics in order to comply with the administration’s anti-DEI mandate.
The administration has used punishments and threats of retaliation to enforce its anti-DEI stance. Public school districts have closed their diversity offices amid threats from the Department of Education to cut federal funding to schools that promote diversity goals. Dozens of colleges and universities have been investigated over allegations of discrimination under the administration’s policies. The DOE is also pushing its anti-DEI stance as part of an overhaul of the standards by which colleges and universities receive accreditation. The American Bar Association recently voted to eliminate its longstanding diversity requirements after the Trump administration threatened to withdraw the organization’s ability to certify lawyers. Major corporations like AT&T and Target also ended their DEI programs to seemingly court favor with the administration.
Now, it seems that the threats of retaliation and legal consequences from the Trump administration are being directed at individual government employees. This latest Department of Labor memo demonstrates the lengths to which the administration will go to fight its war against diversity and the dangers faced by those who will not fall in line.