The EEOC chair knows gutting diversity reporting will blind the agency to discrimination. She's doing it anyway. | Fortune

Andrea Lucas, chair of the EEOC, addressed academics and legal experts at Harvard and faced questions about the EEOC’s investigation into anti-Semitism at the University of Pennsylvania. The EEOC subpoenaed the university for names and contacts of employees affiliated with Jewish groups, prompting controversy and safety concerns. Lucas declined to comment on ongoing litigation but explained that the EEOC collects information because protecting victims requires collecting data. Less than a month later, the EEOC proposed rescinding a regulation requiring employers, unions, and governments with sufficient employee counts to report racial and gender demographics, including federal contractors. The proposal aligns with efforts to shift enforcement toward discrimination claims involving white men and to investigate discrimination based on race or sex.

"“Why?” she asked. “Because there is no other way to protect victims of harassment or discrimination unless you collect information about them.”"

"As part of the investigation, the EEOC subpoenaed the university for the names and contacts of employees affiliated with Jewish groups at the university, a move that stirred controversy and raised safety concerns from students and faculty."

"Less than a month later, the EEOC submitted a proposal to rescind the regulation requiring employers, unions, and state and local governments with more than 100 employees to report their racial and gender demographics, ending six decades of precedent. These rules also apply to federal contractors with more than 50 employees."

"The move comes as the commission under Lucas has begun a crusade against diversity efforts and is searching for cases of discrimination against white men. In December, Lucas posted a video on social media calling on white men to report discrimination they have faced at work based on their race or sex."

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