The Trump administration has reportedly fired two of the three Democratic commissioners on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as part of its efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from government bureaucracy.
Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels, the now-former EEOC commissioners, were dismissed late Monday night, prompting them to explore options to challenge their removal. Both commissioners expressed concerns about the unprecedented decision to terminate them before the expiration of their five-year terms, citing it as a move that undermines the agency's independence.
Burrows, who has served as an EEOC commissioner since 2015, emphasized that the dismissal of two Democratic commissioners hampers the agency's ability to protect employees from discrimination and promote employer compliance with federal employment laws.
Samuels, appointed by Trump in 2020 and later nominated by President Biden for a second term, criticized her removal as a violation of the law and a misunderstanding of the EEOC's independent nature. She argued that DEI initiatives aim to protect individuals based on various characteristics and denounced the administration's stance on transgender rights as inconsistent with the law.
The EEOC, established by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, operates as a bipartisan panel to safeguard workers from discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and other protected characteristics. The recent firings leave the agency with one Republican commissioner, Andrea Lucas, one Democratic commissioner, Kalpana Kotagal, and three vacancies that Trump can fill.
Lucas, the acting EEOC chair appointed by Trump, has pledged to prioritize combating unlawful DEI-motivated discrimination and upholding traditional views on sex and gender rights. In contrast, the Democratic commissioners have condemned executive orders aimed at ending DEI practices and emphasized the importance of enforcing anti-discrimination laws.
The EEOC plays a crucial role in investigating and penalizing employers found guilty of violating anti-discrimination laws, as well as setting guidelines for their implementation. The agency's commissioners have been divided on various issues, including transgender rights and accommodations for pregnant workers.
In a related development, National Labor Relations Board member Gynne A. Wilcox and General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo were also fired, with Wilcox being the first Black woman to serve on the Board since its inception in 1935.
