Some federal employees of the Department of Education have been put on administrative leave for having undergone training on diversity.
Several employees began to receive leave notices on Friday evening and reported them to their president of the local union to the US Federation of Government employees, confirmed Brittany Holder, deputy director of communications to AFGE, who represents federal workers of the agency.
The action comes as President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to examine and dismantle all programs or initiatives that seek to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion. A note examined by Politico which was sent on Friday informed the workers of the agency that they had been put on leave due to the president’s decree on Deia and the additional advice of the staff management office.
Employees placed on leave receive a full salary and benefits and the memo said that the leave was not based on disciplinary reasons. But the union said it is possible that anyone participating in the “Diversity Change” program of the ministry, a voluntary two -day training can receive an opinion. More than 100 people may have participated in the training.
The program was one of the department’s initiatives to promote an inclusive workplace. The “agents of the change of diversity”, as a program called participants, were trained to serve as models and direct efforts to educate and train the labor market on diversity and inclusion. In addition, these workers supported efforts to attract and keep talents to the agency.
The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
