The head of the U.S. agency that enforces laws banning workplace discrimination on Monday warned 20 major law firms that their employment policies meant to boost diversity, equity and inclusion may be illegal.
The letters by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's acting chair, Andrea Lucas, seek detailed information on DEI programs at the firms, some of which have ties to President Donald Trump's political opponents or have challenged his policies in court.
Lucas said she was concerned that the firms' policies "may entail unlawful disparate treatment in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, or unlawful limiting, segregating, and classifying" based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics.
Trump, a Republican, has waged an aggressive campaign to eliminate DEI programs from the federal government, higher education and the private sector.
