Long-standing federal guidelines prevented federal contractors from operating segregated facilities, like restaurants or waiting rooms.
The Trump administration has rescinded a long-standing executive order that prohibited federal contractors from operating segregated facilities, a rule initially established during the Kennedy administration to combat racial discrimination. This decision, made quietly in the final days of Trump's presidency, effectively removes a key provision that barred companies with federal contracts from maintaining workplaces where employees are separated by race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Critics argue that this rollback could undermine efforts to ensure equal treatment in workplaces associated with federal projects, potentially allowing for discriminatory practices to resurface. The change was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce what it viewed as unnecessary regulatory burdens on businesses, although it has raised concerns about the potential erosion of civil rights protections.
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