Trump’s EEO Overhaul: What Employers Need to Know

Just weeks into the second Trump administration, companies have begun to face a radically different approach to employment law. With new leadership and priorities at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), businesses may need to reassess their existing policies and prepare for potential conflicts between federal, state, and local regulations. Kelley Drye partners Mark Konkel, Barbara Hoey and Blythe Lovinger will examine the impact of the administration’s new direction on DEI initiatives, gender identity, religious rights, and other anti-discrimination laws, and provide practical considerations for employers navigating these changes.

Topics include:

• New Leadership and Direction: An overview of executive actions taken by the Trump administration, key opinions from Acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas on employment law and policy issues, and an overview of the EEOC’s initial statements and actions.
• The Status of DEI Programs: An examination of DEI initiatives under the Trump administration, including how companies should respond to legal challenges related to DEI.
• Transgender/Gender Identity-Based Rights: A review of the ongoing debate surrounding gender-based policies, including all-gender bathrooms and single-sex spaces in the workplace.
• Religious Accommodations: A discussion of policies and cases involving religious rights.
• Reverse Discrimination: An exploration of the administration’s stance on ​“anti-American” national origin discrimination and its potential impact on businesses.
• Considerations for Employers: Practical steps to prepare for EEOC guidance, compliance challenges, and legal risks in this new political climate.