Judge Rules Trump’s EEOC Engaged in Discrimination Against Trans Employee

URGENT UPDATE: A judge has just ruled that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under former President Donald Trump engaged in discrimination against a transgender employee. This ruling has been described by the claimant, Marc Seawright, as “devastating.”

The decision, issued by administrative judge Mary Shea of the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, asserts that the agency, designed to combat workplace discrimination, itself fostered a hostile work environment. Under Trump’s administration, the EEOC allegedly failed its core mission while subjecting employees to discrimination.

Seawright, a queer trans man and former director of information governance at the EEOC, was forced to resign in June after experiencing systemic discrimination. Judge Shea confirmed that he had “good cause” to leave his position, making him eligible for unemployment benefits while his complaint is under EEOC review.

Significantly, during his tenure, Seawright contributed to vital EEOC projects aimed at preventing discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. One of his notable achievements was developing an app that allowed colleagues to display their pronouns across agency systems. However, this progress was undermined when the new EEOC chair, Andrea Lucas, disbanded the agency’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group in January, a move that Seawright claims was part of a broader discriminatory policy.

In his complaint, Seawright expressed that being compelled to assist in censoring references to transgender and LGBTQ+ issues was personally agonizing. He stated, “Being forced to create the information technology that would systematically erase all EEOC references to transgender, non-binary, or other LGBTQ+ people was personally devastating.”

Seawright’s experience sheds light on the deteriorating conditions within the EEOC as he faced being pushed out of meetings and denied access to essential systems. His complaint warns that the situation is expected to worsen under Lucas’s leadership, further marginalizing transgender employees.

This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for equality within government institutions. It raises critical questions about the effectiveness of agencies that are meant to protect workers’ rights when they themselves become sources of discrimination.

As the EEOC reviews Seawright’s complaint, the implications of this ruling could resonate across workplaces, emphasizing the need for genuine protections against discrimination for all employees, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story and its impact on workplace equality initiatives. The situation is rapidly unfolding, and the response from the EEOC and the broader community remains to be seen.