USA 
United Kingdom
Four former federal employees haved filed a class-action lawsuit alleging they were unlawfully removed from their roles during the Trump Administration's purge of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) roles.
The suit, filed in Washington, D.C., claims Trump-era directives eliminating diversity programs violated First Amendment rights and federal civil service protections.
The proposed class action could include thousands of former workers whose jobs were eliminated under the executive orders.
DEI firings 'intended to punish', lawsuit claims
Plaintiffs worked at the Department of Homeland Security, Justice Department, National Institutes of Health and Office of Personnel Management.
In their complaint, the former federal staffers claim that mass terminations of workers associated with DEI functions discriminated against employees seen as advocating for protected groups.
The firings were “intended to punish perceived political enemies, as well as to eliminate from the federal workforce people of color, women, non-binary employees, and those, like Plaintiffs, who advocated for or were perceived as advocating for protected racial or gender groups," it states.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that terminating non-partisan staff for those alleged reasons harmed employee rights and weakened federal workforce capability.
Directives issued by the Trump Administration in March ordered the termination of all government activities related to DEI.
Fired federal staff decry 'devastating' firings
The complaint further alleges violations of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, which requires federal employees to be hired and retained based on the merit and the mission of each agency, rather than based on political allegiance or discrimination.
L.L. Smith, one of the plaintiffs, formerly worked at the National Institutes of Health.
"I have dedicated decades of my life to the health of everyone in our communities. To have my livelihood ripped away from me in a political purge has been as surreal as it has been devastating,” he said. "I hope the court will allow me and all my dedicated colleagues to get back to work supporting the American people. It's time to turn the page on this divisive chapter in American history.”
Kelly Dermody, Civil Rights and Social Justice Practice Chair at Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein - the firm representing L.L. Smith and her fellow plaintiffs - said she is "very proud" of her clients.
“This case seeks to vindicate rights that Americans hold dear, to not be mistreated by their employers based on perceptions about employees’ political beliefs or targeted for termination because the employees belong to racial or gender groups the employers disfavor,” she said.
The plaintiffs will seek reinstatement, back pay, lost benefits, and damages, among other relief.
