Worker Policy Watch
Your source for accurate and reliable information on how federal policies are shaping workers’ rights—and what’s at stake for working people nationwide under the Trump administration.
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EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas Sends A Letter to 20 Large Law Firms Demanding Information about their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practices
The letter implies that Acting Chair Lucas believes that these firms' practices are discriminatory and violate the Civil Rights Act, though it fails to cite any evidence of discrimination. Former EEOC Commissioners and General Counsels have written a response, refuting Lucas' legal ability to ask for this information, and calling into question the justification for this letter in the first place.
Impact:
This letter is part of this administration's coordinated attack on this country's civil rights laws. The practices they are trying to threaten employers to abandon are the best tools employers have to ensure that they are hiring, employing, and promoting people free of discrimination, whether it be implicit or intentional.
USDA Allows Dangerous Speeds at Meat Processing Plants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended waivers for poultry and pork processing plans to operate at high speeds and announced plans to formalize these speed increases across the industry with forthcoming rulemaking. Workers in these types of jobs face high rates of injury due to unsafe speeds and need common-sense regulation, inspection, and enforcement to protect them on the job.
Impact:
These meat processing jobs are some of the most dangerous jobs in the country, and the industry is seeking to increase their profits at the expense of worker safety.
Trump Rescinds the “Good Jobs” Biden Executive Order that Required Union Neutrality from Federal Contractors and Gave a Preference in Awarding Contracts to Companies that used Registered Apprenticeship Programs
The Biden era EO rewarded companies that recognized when workers wanted to form a union and that trained their workforces while paying them good wages.
Impact:
With the recsission of the Biden EO, companies that engage in union busting and pay low wages to their trainees will now have an advantage in securing federal contracts.
Trump Rescinds Biden-era Executive Order Mandating that All Federal Contract Workers are Paid at Least $15 per hour
Federal tax dollars, which pay for federal contract employment, shouldn't be used to create poverty level jobs. Federal contractors who work in concessions, janitorial services, parks services, and other important jobs, no longer have a guarantee of at least $15 per hour.
Impact:
This order will likely result in lower pay for federal contract workers.
United States Postal Service Agrees to Work with DOGE to Cut 10,000 Jobs
These cuts in personnel will undermine the ability of the USPS to deliver mail in a timely fashion, not to mention the harm to those who lose their jobs.
Impact:
The Trump administration wants to privatize the USPS and this is one of the first steps in that process.
Trump Administration Moves to Dismantle U.S. Agency for Global Media
Trump ordered the virtual elimination the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe, and Radio Free Asia and is a congressionally-chartered independent agency. Updated on 3/28/2025.
Impact:
The agency has more than 2,000 employees, broadcasts in 49 languages, and reaches a weekly estimated audience of more than 361 million people.
DOGE Announces the Cancellation of Leases for Field Offices Across the Country for the EEOC, OSHA, MSHA, Office of Workers Compensation, and Wage and Hour Division
Field offices, especially in more remote parts of the U.S., are where the bulk of complaints of discrimination, unsafe working conditions, unpaid wages, and workplace injuries are filed.
Impact:
Closing these field offices will mean that workers in these regions will have to file their complaints on line and won't be able to get assistance from trained investigators and counselors in doing so. Complaints will be less complete, and many will probably give up even trying to file on line, especially if they are visually impaired or older. This will allow employers to get away with more illegal behavior.
Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Reinstate Thousands of Federal Workers
U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ordered the Trump administration to offer probationary employees who were fired last month by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs the opportunity to return to their jobs. The judge ruled that OPM did not have the authority to direct mass firings of federal workers. The judge also said he was open to expanding the order to employees at other agencies.
Impact:
Probationary employees at federal agencies are generally workers who were more recently hired by the government, transferred between agencies or offices, or promoted into new roles. There is no relationship between probationary status and employee performance or whether their role contributes to so-called “government efficiency.” By reinstating these workers, agencies will be able to resume critical services and law enforcement that were haphazardly halted by their firings. But so long as the Trump-Musk effort to hollow out the federal government continues, workers, families, and communities remain at risk, and the administration will almost certainly appeal the ruling.
Keith Sonderling is confirmed as Deputy Secretary of US DOL
Sonderling was confirmed on a party-line vote.
Impact:
Now that the Secretary and Deputy Secretary have been confirmed, we can expect DOL to start rolling out its deregulatory agenda, aimed at helping employers at the expense of their workers.
Trump Admin Fires Half of Department of Education Workforce
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, more than 1,300 of the agency’s workers are being fired.
Impact:
The Department of Education is charged with enforcement of civil rights for students, including students with disabilities, in addition to managing federal student loans and distributing Pell grants for low income families. Trump has long vowed to shut down the Department of Education, despite only Congress having authority to do so.