Federal worker named on ‘DEI Watchlist’ files wrongful firing lawsuit

Federal worker named on ‘DEI Watchlist’ files wrongful firing lawsuit A federal worker fired in President Donald Trump’s purge of diversity initiatives from government is suing over his dismissal, alleging it amounted to illegal discrimination in violation of civil rights law. Dia Harris, 53, was serving as chief equity officer for the Administration for Children and Families at the time of Trump’s election. Days after Trump issued an executive order to rid government of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) jobs and programs, Harris was placed on administrative leave. Harris was fired last summer. His ordeal trying to find work since then was the subject of Washington Post article last month. In his lawsuit, brought last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Harris’s attorneys allege that most of Harris’s White colleagues, who performed similar work, retained their federal roles while only Harris, who is Black, was dismissed. Harris is seeking reinstatement to his position and back pay. The suit names the Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as defendants. Agency press secretary Emily G. Hilliard wrote in an email that “HHS does not comment on active litigation.” White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster wrote in a statement that “DEI ran rampant during the Biden Administration, and Americans ultimately paid the price for these destructive policies with a restricted labor pool, higher operational costs, and workforce inefficiencies.”