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ARTICLE · 13 JANUARY 2026

EEOC Signals Increased Enforcement Against Corporate DEI Programs

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The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) plans to intensify its inquiries into corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in 2026.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Karima Maloney
Karima Maloney
Alex Wolf
Alex Wolf
Shontel Stewart
Shontel Stewart

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) plans to intensify its inquiries into corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in 2026. The Chair of the EEOC, Andrea Lucas, announced a major enforcement shift in an interview with Reuters on December 18, 2025, stating that the EEOC will closely scrutinize any workplace initiatives that consider race, sex, or other protected characteristics in employment decisions, calling such practices "unlawful" under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.1 This announcement follows a series of executive orders from President Donald Trump and two "technical assistance" documents that the EEOC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued last year, aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives across federal agencies and the private sector. The EEOC's plan to intensify its scrutiny of DEI programs aligns with the Chair's stated goal "to shift to a conservative view of civil rights."2

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