EEOC tells its workers to halt LGBTQ+ discrimination claim processing

The news comes just days after the Trump administration’s controversial purge of Democratic officials at the commission.

Jan. 30, 2025 - HR Dive
Ryan Golden, Senior Reporter ; Kate Tornone, Lead Editor

Dive Brief:

• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ordered its employees to halt the processing of claims alleging sexual orientation- and gender identity-based discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, according to two individuals with knowledge of the situation.
• It is not clear when processing will resume, if at all. The commission told employees to expect further guidance shortly. EEOC declined to comment on its investigatory practices.
• The news comes after EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, a Republican, announced that the agency would roll back several Biden-era initiatives intended to expand LGBTQ+（nclusion both internally at EEOC as well as in the commission’s external outreach to employees alleging employment discrimination. President Donald Trump also controversially dismissed two Democratic EEOC commissioners on Monday whose terms had not yet expired.

Dive Insight:

This is a developing story.