Trump's DEI orders may halt progress for disabled workers
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The attack on DEI from the Trump administration could set back recent progress for disabled workers, particularly within the federal workforce, according to advocates and legal experts.
Why it matters: People with disabilities face obstacles in landing jobs, but their employment rates soared in the wake of the pandemic as remote work became more common.
- At the same time there was a big push within the federal government to hire folks with disabilities. Now both these vectors are getting pushback.
By the numbers: The federal government is one of the biggest employers of disabled people in the country. About 9.4% of the federal workforce were disabled in 2022, up from 8.9% in 2014, per federal data. Other estimates put the number even higher.
Where it stands: Broadly, several of President Trump's executive orders and actions seek to eradicate within the federal government all mention and practice of "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility."
- Accessibility matters for disabled folks, who need accommodations to be able to work, like software that allows visually impaired people to read computer monitors, or desk setups that allow for wheelchairs.
- Trump reversed a 2021 Biden order that prioritized, among other things, making the federal workplace more accessible for employees, part of a push that first gained steam in the Obama administration, said Mia Ives-Rublee, senior director of the disability justice initiative at the Center for American Progress.
- Those policies and efforts have been successful, she said.
Perhaps more impactful: Trump also is now telling federal workers to return to full-time in-office work.
- This will likely be a problem for disabled workers who need to telework.
- Those who need accommodations can still legally be able to request them, but that process can take a long time and be challenging, experts said.
- Disabled workers didn't have to contend with this issue when telework policies were in place.
- The White House didn't provide additional comment beyond the orders.
What they're saying: "I can't tell you how many clients we have where they have either visible disabilities or [other] issues that that require them to work from home," said Alan Lescht, an employment lawyer who represents federal workers. "They've been doing this for years, and most of them have gotten very good reviews."
- He believes many of these workers will now have cause to file lawsuits over the return to office directive.
- Those lawsuits are possible because, for now, the provisions of federal law meant to protect disabled workers from discrimination do remain in place.
Between the lines: One executive order rolling back DEI protections, issued Tuesday night, explicitly notes these changes are not meant to impact veterans, but it makes no such note about people with disabilities.
- "It does leave you wondering if that was just careless drafting, failure to think about it, or if it really is sending a message," said David Goldstein, an employment lawyer at Littler Mendelson.
