In this 30-minute EDGEtalks webinar, David Pritchett welcomed back Chai Feldblum, a long-time civil rights advocate, scholar, and former Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the U.S. Chai shared a clear update on what has and has not changed for employers working on diversity, fairness, and inclusion in the U.S.
She explained how three Executive Orders issued early in the current administration — Executive Order 14151, Executive Order 14173, and Executive Order 14281 — have helped create a tougher climate around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). These orders don’t change the law directly, but they have led to strong statements from federal agencies. Chai pointed to the EEOC’s March 2025 document called “What You Should Know About DEI Discrimination at Work” and the DOJ’s July 29, 2025 Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding on Illegal Discrimination, which she said are broad and sometimes unclear. The result is more confusion and caution among employers, even though the main U.S. anti-discrimination law (Title VII) stays the same.
Her main advice to employers was: review and refresh, not retreat. U.S. employers should avoid programs that exclude people or give special preference based on race, gender, or other protected traits. But they can absolutely continue lawful, effective steps like fair hiring and promotion, equal-opportunity development, pay equity, inclusive employee groups, strong anti-harassment and respectful-workplace training, and collecting demographic data (which remains lawful in the U.S).
For organizations based outside the U.S., Chai’s takeaway was: keep doing what your local laws permit. Many practical ways to improve workplace diversity have been shut down by the laws in the U.S., but that should not hold organizations back elsewhere. At the same time, she urged international employers to be smart, thoughtful, and strategic in how they operate in the U.S., so they stay compliant while still moving fairness and inclusion forward.
Watch the full recording for Chai’s detailed guidance and audience Q&A.
Find more at EEO Leaders
Chai also highlighted the work of EEO Leaders, a group she helped launch in February 2025. The group brings together former senior EEOC officials to provide clear, practical information in a noisy and fast-changing moment.
For employers in particular, EEO Leaders focuses on spelling out what organizations are still required to do under U.S. law, and what they are still allowed to do with the goal of providing facts to counter fear and helping workplaces continue fairness and inclusion efforts with confidence. You can explore their latest statements and guidance at eeoleaders.org.
