Dozens of Staff Placed on Leave

The U.S. Department of Education has placed dozens of employees on paid administrative leave after President Donald Trump’s executive order eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in federal agencies. According to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), at least 55 staff members received leave notices Friday night, with more expected.

The affected employees worked in civil rights, IT, public relations, and student assistance services. AFGE spokesperson Brittany Holder confirmed that the suspensions were not disciplinary but directly related to Trump’s executive order. Their work email access was also revoked.

DEI Training Under Scrutiny

Union officials linked the suspensions to employees’ involvement in the “Diversity Change Agent” program, a longstanding DEI training initiative. The Education Department had previously promoted the program as a way to encourage inclusivity, embrace diversity, and enhance workplace collaboration.

Internal emails from March 2019 show that department officials had encouraged employees to participate in the training during Trump’s first term. Despite its long existence, the new administration’s policies now target DEI efforts for elimination.

Broader DEI Cuts Raise Concerns

The Education Department has already canceled millions in DEI-related contracts and deleted more than 200 online DEI resources. Information for LGBTQ students, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges has also been removed from federal websites.

With the rapid rollback of DEI initiatives, concerns grow over the future of diversity programs in government agencies. The Biden administration had expanded DEI policies, but the new leadership is swiftly dismantling them. As more employees face suspension, the long-term impact remains unclear.