The DOJ has officially ended a 44-year-old rule that had shaped how the federal government hires workers. It was part of a legal settlement from a 1979 case called Luevano v. Ezell, which had forced federal agencies to focus heavily on race when hiring, all in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” or DEI.
That rule is now gone.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon explained the decision clearly: “For over four decades, this decree has hampered the federal government from hiring the top talent of our nation. Today, the Justice Department removed that barrier and reopened federal employment opportunities based on merit, not race.”
So what was the original rule?
Back in the late 1970s, some advocacy groups claimed that a federal hiring exam called the Professional and Administrative Career Examination (PACE) unfairly affected Black and Hispanic applicants. The result was a consent decree, a legal agreement that forced the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and other federal agencies to jump through hoops before using any kind of test to screen job applicants. The goal wasn’t just fairness; it was to engineer equal outcomes between racial groups.
In other words, if one group scored higher than another, the test could be scrapped – regardless of whether it measured job skills or not.
That kind of system didn’t reward hard work, talent, or qualifications. It rewarded box-checking. Over time, it created a culture where race and identity mattered more than ability.
This move to end the decree is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to restore equal opportunity, not equal outcomes. Back in January, President Trump signed Executive Order 14173, canceling several DEI-focused policies from earlier administrations, including the famous 1965 Executive Order 11246. That one had pressured federal contractors to use race and gender as part of their hiring goals.
Now, the tide is turning.
Federal contractors must phase out DEI-based hiring practices by April 21, 2025. Some rules (like non-discrimination certifications) are already in place. And across Washington, DEI offices and programs are getting cut. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has even stopped enforcing affirmative action rules for hiring.
Naturally, not everyone’s happy about it.
Groups like those represented on civilrights.org say ending DEI programs could make things worse for minority communities, but supporters of the new rules say that hiring should never be about skin color – it should be about skill. They argue that true fairness means giving everyone the same shot, not rigging the process to meet quotas.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees equal opportunity, not special treatment. The Justice Department says it’s simply bringing policy back in line with the law.
There are lawsuits already. Some progressive groups claim these new policies violate constitutional protections. That battle will likely play out in court.
The full impact of these changes isn’t clear yet. Some private companies are also scaling back their DEI programs, especially those tied to federal contracts. Others are waiting to see how enforcement shakes out.
One thing’s for sure: the era of race-based hiring preferences in Washington is ending.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
