ELI in the News

Claudine Gay took the helm as president of Harvard University in July 2023, becoming the first person of color to lead the institution in its 388-year history. Just six months later, the academic scholar stepped down from her position amid controversy over accusations of antisemitism and mounting claims that she plagiarized past work. Her tenure is the shortest in the school’s history. “It has been distressing to have doubt cast on my comm…

In December, President Joe Biden announced the release of its Fall 2023 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, outlining the actions administrative agencies plan to issue in the near and long term. Days later, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published its regulatory agenda for the first time in over two years, joining other labor agencies in outlining key rulemaking goals for 2024.

Artificial intelligence, economic volatility and political unrest influenced how employers approached inclusion, equity and diversity (IE&D) in 2023. With a U.S. presidential election on the horizon in 2024, several workplace experts forecast the impact IE&D will have on employers and employees this year.

Phnesha Jefferson worked as a federal employee for over a decade. One of her more notable roles was serving as the chief of employee and labor relations for the U.S. Air Force. “My position afforded me a unique vantage point,” Jefferson said. “I am an African American woman who served in a leadership role, and I also managed the office responsible for employee grievances and often provided consultative services during the EEO [equal employment opportunity] complaint process.”

Since its establishment on July 2, 1965, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has been committed to its mission of eradicating workplace discrimination, both on an individual and systemic level. However, the EEOC’s recently unveiled 2022-2026 strategic plan highlights a significant shift in focus. Under the new EEOC plan, systemic claims will now be given added emphasis, highlighting the need for a proactive approach to comprehensively address workplace discrimination.