Category: Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is an important and ongoing strategy of any HR plan. Ensuring that your company supports hiring, engaging, and retaining diverse workers with varied backgrounds will set your company up for long-term success and an increased bottom line. This topic offers the latest strategies for talent management, key insights from diversity leaders, case studies on D&I in the workplace, and more.
The federal statutes prohibiting employment discrimination, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), establish specific periods during which employees must act to timely pursue a claim. In a recent decision, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which encompasses Maryland, North Carolina, South […]
Organizations and HR teams should pay close attention to the recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast. At a high level, this case focuses on a diversity event that allegedly limited participation based on sex. But the bigger issue is not the event itself. It is what it signals about how these […]
On February 26, 2026, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas sent a letter to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies to ensure that their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs comply with civil rights laws, highlighting the agency’s recent efforts to rein in corporate DEI programs it claims “attack” principles of equal opportunity. […]
Almost two years ago, in March 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued a Charge of Discrimination against Nike, alleging that aspects of the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) policies may have resulted in discrimination against white employees and job applicants. Most recently, in an escalation of its investigation, on February 4, 2026, the EEOC took the unusual step of filing a subpoena […]
The recent Census Bureau data is a wake-up call: the gender pay gap is widening for the first time in twenty years, and female representation in leadership is stalling. For HR professionals, “business as usual” is no longer an option. To move from declining commitment to meaningful progress, Shelly MacConnell, Chief Strategy Officer at WIN, […]
Here’s a true story. Dennis is 28 years old and has Down syndrome. After high school, he lived in a county group house and spent five years stuffing calendars into cardboard tubes—reliable but unrewarding work. A former student of one of the authors, now a restaurant owner, hired him as a waiter. Dennis quickly mastered […]
Belonging has emerged as one of the strongest drivers of the employee experience. According to the EY Global Belonging Barometer 4.0, work is where employees feel a strong sense of belonging, second only to home, and it has risen six percentage points in just two years. Yet many workers report feeling less connected. Younger generations are experiencing a paradox; although they’re the most digitally connected, they’re also feeling the most disconnected, with 92% of Gen Z and 87% […]
Amid the focus on culling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives over the past year, employers must distinguish DEI efforts from core compliance activities, such as equal pay audits. Compensation reviews and audits should remain a routine best practice for organizations to ensure compliance with federal, state, and international laws. Additionally, such audits […]
This year, the conversation around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) hit unprecedented turbulence. We saw pushback—not just from some organizations, but across various industries, even the federal government. Despite these setbacks, fostering a resilient, inclusive environment is more critical than ever. The businesses that embrace these values—and understand them as a strategic driver, not […]
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has started investigating federal contractors and grant recipients for allegations that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs violate antidiscrimination laws. Background In addition to revoking Executive Order (EO) 11246, President Trump’s January 31, 2025, EO 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, also added a new certification requirement […]