Trump admin creates merit-based hiring plan, ending DEI federal hiring

The Trump administration has created a merit-based hiring plan, ending the use of race, sex, and religion data for diversity, equity, and inclusion purposes in hiring for federal jobs.

The Office of Personnel Management released a “Merit Hiring Plan” that was sent Thursday to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies, directing them to not use race, sex, ethnicity, national origin statistics or “the broader concept of ‘underrepresentation’” to hire or recruit.

"This Merit Hiring Plan provides the process, technology, and policy tools to allow the Federal government to hire the most talented, capable, and patriotic Americans—at scale, with drastically improved cost, speed, and quality," the memo reads.

"Illegal, demeaning, and immoral 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) programs in hiring, recruiting, interviewing, training, professional development, internships, fellowships, promotion, and retention must end immediately," according to the memo.

The memo orders agencies to stop publishing and distributing information on their workforce composition based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin and to end all programs related to hiring that “discriminate” against groups.

"Take prompt and appropriate disciplinary action against any hiring manager or other agency employee who engages in unlawful DEI-related discrimination in violation of this Merit Hiring Plan," the memo reads.

“OPM is committed to creating a federal workforce that reflects the highest standards of merit and service,” OPM acting director Charles Ezell said in a statement, The Hill news outlet reported. “This plan ensures we hire based on talent, dedication, and constitutional principles, delivering a government that works effectively for all Americans.”

The memo follows President Trump's executive order from Jan. 20 to restore merit-based hiring practices to the federal government.