EEOC Drops Subpoena Lawsuit Against Nike
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has dropped its lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena against Nike after the sportswear company handed over a large volume of information requested as part of an investigation into its treatment of white employees and job applicants. U.S. District Judge Cristian Stevens in St. Louis, Missouri, granted the agency’s request to dismiss the case after the EEOC said Nike had complied with the subpoena.
The agency had sought information including data on the racial and ethnic makeup of Nike’s workforce and records of employees selected for mentoring and professional development programs. The EEOC is examining whether Nike intentionally discriminated against white employees and applicants, including whether they were disproportionately affected by layoffs. The dismissal of the subpoena case does not mean the broader investigation has ended.
The investigation is part of the Trump administration’s wider push to challenge diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the private sector and other institutions. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas has said some workplace diversity initiatives could violate federal anti-discrimination laws. Unlike most commission investigations, which typically arise from worker complaints, the Nike probe was initiated through a commissioner’s charge filed by Lucas in May 2024. Nike has previously denied discrimination and said it was cooperating with the agency.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
