Justice Department Investigates Austin, Texas for Racially Discriminatory Employment Practices

Today, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the City of Austin, Texas, to determine whether it engages in employment practices that discriminate based on race, sex, color, and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964, as amended.

"The Department of Justice will not tolerate discriminatory race-based employment practices and DEI policies, in Austin or other cities," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Such practices are illegal and un-American, and we will vigorously protect equal opportunity and hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate vestiges of outlawed discrimination."

According to its website, the City of Austin's Office of Equity and Inclusion, Equity Division "works across all City departments . . . to build capacity and leadership in working from a racial equity lens." The Equity Division publicly promotes City guidance that recommends delineating "clear racial equity expectations regarding hiring," applying "stronger racial equity criteria to the design and execution of executive-level searches," and using "racial equity tools" that are "designed to integrate explicit consideration of racial equity in decisions, including policies, practices, programs and budgets."

You can read the notice letter here.