Wichita, Kan. (April 4, 2024) - The landscape
of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training initiatives in
the workplace is evolving rapidly. Within the last several years,
we saw an increase in DEI training and corporate/client
encouragement for such training initiatives. Recently, however,
Title VII plaintiffs - mainly white males - are now challenging
aspects of DEI training with some success. These recent DEI Title
VII cases illustrate how DEI initiatives, while well-intentioned,
can inadvertently expose employers to legal liabilities if not
carefully implemented.
The Tenth Circuit's recent published opinion in Young v. Colorado
Department of Corrections is instructive. While employed by
the Colorado Department of Corrections, Joshua Young participated
in mandatory Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) training, which
he claims subjected him to a hostile work environment due to its
content. Young's complaint alleged that the training program
included
