In 2026, EEOC solidifies its lockstep with Trump’s anti-DEI agenda

This year, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been prolific in its agenda-setting and enforcement plans regarding diversity, equity and inclusion at work.

By Caroline Colvin • July 15, 2026

Fair chance hiring better received by applicants when a moral case is made, study finds

Applicants often assign negative stereotypes to policies meant to expand opportunities to people with criminal histories, according to research published in the Journal of Management.

By Ryan Golden • July 15, 2026

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A deep dive into DEI

Staying thoughtful and engaged regarding DEI topics — as well as listening to employees — can help employers meet goals and retain people.

By HR Dive staff

California community college settles with professor who sued over DEI policy

Bakersfield College agreed to not require a professor to use diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles in his teaching or scholarship.

By Laura Spitalniak • July 14, 2026

Workday, female ex-engineer agree to dismiss retaliation lawsuit

Not even the use of a complaint form for situations deemed “too risky to use HR” addressed the plaintiff’s harassment concerns, she claimed.

By Ryan Golden • July 13, 2026

White employee’s lawsuit over ‘equity mindset’ requirement survives at 7th Circuit

The plaintiff claimed that she refused to adopt her employer’s views because she viewed them as racist and discriminatory against White people.

By Ryan Golden • July 13, 2026

DC Water to pay roughly $217,000 to settle claim it replaced HR worker with younger employee

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority must also enhance its nondiscrimination policies and provide advanced antidiscrimination training.

By Caroline Colvin • July 9, 2026

WorkSmart settles EEOC claim it failed to hire, refer women per a client request

Staffing agencies have repeatedly drawn the agency’s attention for allegedly discriminating based on protected characteristics to satisfy the demands of a client.

By Lara Ewen • July 9, 2026

Edward Jones pushes back on lawsuit challenging diversity program

The employer critiqued the plaintiff’s attempt to form a class of “all White” advisors while simultaneously alleging White women benefited from the program.

By Caroline Colvin • July 8, 2026

AI, humanity and HR’s ‘extinction’ threat: 10 stories from SHRM26

Inside the halls of Orlando, Florida’s Orange County Convention Center, speakers painted a dire picture for the industry.

By Ryan Golden • July 1, 2026

EEOC rescinds affirmative action guidelines

Right in time for America’s 250th birthday, the agency rescinded its interpretation of the law, saying the guidelines ran afoul of Title VII.

By Caroline Colvin • July 1, 2026

How should HR handle political divisiveness at work?

This election season continues to kick up political division. Here’s what HR should keep in mind.

By Caroline Colvin • June 30, 2026

Keep EEO-1 reporting processes — even if feds axe requirements, attorneys say

Political winds could shift back in favor of the reports, and several states require employers to submit workforce demographic data.

By Ryan Golden • June 29, 2026

Companies led by women tend to have more women on boards and in leadership roles

While only 6.7% of companies examined had a woman in the top spot, the ones that did were significantly more likely to feature gender diversity in other major positions.

By Lara Ewen • June 26, 2026

FCC Chairman says there is ‘common ground’ on ending illegal discrimination, DEI

In May, 18 members of Congress sent a letter questioning the agency’s targeting of companies’ DEI policies.

By Ginger Christ • June 24, 2026

DEI’s next era? Reorientation, says SHRM’s Johnny Taylor Jr.

In conversation with HR Dive, SHRM’s president and CEO forecasted the future of DEI in 2027 and 2028.

By Caroline Colvin • June 24, 2026

EEOC opens antisemitism probe into NEA, Brandeis Center says

The center’s complaint alleges the teachers union didn’t specify Jews as the primary victims of the Holocaust, among other things.

By Naaz Modan • June 23, 2026

A top-down commitment is crucial for inclusion in 2026, SHRM panelists say

Members of SHRM’s I&D council presented a road map for creating diversity and inclusion at work while being mindful of the compliance landscape.

By Caroline Colvin • June 18, 2026

Flight attendant fired over TikTok dance video sues Alaska Airlines for bias

The worker alleged she was “held to heightened standards for reputational behavior” because of her sex and race.

By Ginger Christ • June 17, 2026

What HR leaders should do when world events hit the workplace

People directly affected by global conflict may experience depression, anxiety and trauma-related symptoms, Amy Dufrane of HRCI writes.

By Amy Dufrane • June 17, 2026

20 attorneys general sue Trump administration over federal contractor DEI order

The plaintiffs argue Trump’s executive order impedes each state’s efforts and is unclear in what it prohibits. 

By Caroline Colvin • June 11, 2026

DOJ deems EEOC’s disparate impact discrimination guidelines unconstitutional

The push against disparate impact liability has been a focus of the Trump administration.

By Ginger Christ • Updated June 15, 2026

How flexible work will help working dads, too

Remote work has often been championed for its benefit for working moms, but new insights remind employers how it can help working dads as well.

By Caroline Colvin • June 10, 2026

Coalition requests judge halt Trump’s anti-DEI contractor order

The group, led by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, filed a lawsuit over the executive order in April.

By Emilie Shumway • June 9, 2026

Illinois pushes back against Trump in move to ban disparate impact bias

Practices such as strength tests or criminal background checks have been the subject of disparate impact challenges in the past.

By Kate Tornone • June 3, 2026

Share of workers over 55 is only increasing, study shows

Here’s what this generational shift in the workforce means for HR.

By Caroline Colvin • May 29, 2026