The Department of Labor (DOL) issued two new rulemakings as part of its implementation of President Trump’s January 21, 2025 Executive Order (EO) 14173 on “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
The first proposed rule from DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) implements EO 14173’s repeal of the Lyndon Johnson-era Executive Order 11246 “Equal Employment Opportunity,” by rescinding the regulations that implemented the obligations for federal contractors and subcontractors to avoid discrimination by, among other things, taking affirmative action to ensure that job applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin. OFCCP already ceased enforcing these regulations after President Trump rescinded EO 11246. Comments on the proposed rule are due September 2, 2025 and can be submitted through the federal eRulemaking portal using Docket No. OFCCP-2025-0001.
The second proposed rule from DOL implements EO 14713 by removing regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that require direct and indirect recipients of financial assistance under Title I of WIOA to engage in affirmative outreach to groups based on race, sex, national origin, and other characteristics not required by statute. Comments on this proposed rule are due by July 31, 2025 and can be submitted through the federal eRulemaking portal here using RIN 1291-AA47