The Trump administration has taken a significant step in its campaign to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies from the federal government. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a final interim rule that removes references to the 1978 Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, which governed employee selection standards.
Meritorious Hiring
The move affects how federal agencies approach hiring by eliminating references to long-standing guidance centered on ‘disparate impact,’ the idea that hiring practices that could produce unequal outcomes among racial groups can be legally problematic even absent intentional discrimination. Administration officials argue those guidelines pressured employers to focus on racial outcomes rather than qualifications.
‘Federal hiring should be based on merit, qualifications, and the ability to perform the job,’ OPM Director Scott Kupor said in a statement. ‘This rule ensures OPM’s regulations reflect legal guidance while preserving the rigorous, job-related standards that help agencies recruit and hire the most qualified workforce in service to the American people.’
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
