United States: The Trump administration has enforced a new rule that bans the use of race and gender data in federal hiring process. The decision is part of a wider push to remove diversity-based practices from government recruitment.
In a memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), federal agencies were ordered to stop using statistics related to race, sex, ethnicity or national origin. The policy supports an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January.
The memo stated that all hiring and promotion decisions must be based solely on merit, qualifications and job-related criteria, not race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
The ban on race and gender data in hiring also blocks agencies from sharing such information. It dismisses the idea of ‘underrepresentation’ and criticises diversity programmes, calling them unfair and harmful to merit-based hiring.
Advocates noted that the data is essential for identifying bias. And experts and campaigners have remarked that it is a necessary tool to identify inequities or potential discrimination. The memo also pointed to over-reliance on elite institutions.
This urges a shift toward hiring based on merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals. It recommends targeting new talent from state universities, religious colleges, trade schools, faith groups, and homeschool communities.The memo directs agencies to prioritise early career recruitment of patriotic Americans committed to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.
This ban on race and gender data in hiring is the newest action by Trump to weaken diversity and inclusion programmes, many of which have existed for decades to address historical inequalities faced by marginalised groups. Trump and his supporters argue that these programmes are unfair, claiming they discriminate against white people and men and also undermine merit-based hiring.
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