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yesterday

Trump Administration Bans Demographic Data in Federal Hiring

The memo enforces merit-based hiring by prohibiting demographic data use to target candidates committed to constitutional values.

Security members walk outside the headquarters of the Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC, on February 13.
Protesters rally outside of the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building headquarters of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Feb. 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The Office of Personnel Management’s May 29 memo bans collection, use and distribution of demographic statistics such as race, sex, ethnicity and national origin in all hiring and promotion decisions.
  • All personnel decisions must be based solely on merit, qualifications and job-related criteria, prioritising ’patriotic Americans’ over elite academic credentials.
  • Civil service applicants at GS-05 levels and above will answer four essay questions on work ethic, government efficiency, constitutional commitment and advancing presidential directives.
  • Agencies are urged to recruit more veterans and candidates from state universities, trade schools, religious colleges and faith-based organisations.
  • Advocates and experts warn that halting demographic tracking could hinder efforts to uncover and address systemic inequalities in the federal workforce.