Overview
- The enforcement petition, filed Feb. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, follows what the EEOC says were incomplete responses to prior information requests.
- Regulators say they are investigating potential “pattern or practice” disparate treatment of white employees and applicants in hiring, promotions, layoffs, internships, and leadership development programs.
- The EEOC seeks records dating back to 2018, including Nike’s 2025 DEI targets, criteria used for layoffs, how race and ethnicity data are tracked and used, and details on 16 alleged race‑restricted development programs.
- Nike called the move a “surprising and unusual escalation,” saying it has cooperated, shared thousands of pages, and will respond to the court petition while maintaining its practices comply with the law.
- The inquiry stems from a commissioner’s charge filed by Andrea Lucas in May 2024 and reflects a broader Trump administration push to scrutinize corporate DEI practices under Title VII.