Nike faces federal probe over allegations of discrimination against white workers

"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission disclosed the investigation in a motion filed in Missouri federal court demanding that Nike fully comply with a subpoena for information. The EEOC sought the company's criteria for selecting employees for layoffs, how it tracks and uses worker race and ethnicity data, and information about programs which allegedly provided race-restricted mentoring, leadership, or career development opportunities, according to court documents."

"In a statement, Nike said the company has worked to cooperate with the EEOC and the subpoena "feels like a surprising and unusual escalation." "We have shared thousands of pages of information and detailed written responses to the EEOC's inquiry and are in the process of providing additional information," Nike said in a statement sent to The Associated Press."

""When there are compelling indications, including corporate admissions in extensive public materials, that an employer's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-related programs may violate federal prohibitions against race discrimination or other forms of unlawful discrimination, the EEOC will take all necessary steps including subpoena actions to ensure the opportunity to fully and comprehensively investigate," Lucas said in a statement."

Federal civil-rights regulators opened an investigation of Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees through diversity programs. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a court motion in Missouri seeking compliance with a subpoena. The subpoena requests criteria used in layoffs, methods of tracking and using employee race and ethnicity data, and details on programs that allegedly restricted mentoring, leadership, or career development by race. Nike stated it has cooperated with the agency, provided thousands of pages of materials, and was supplying additional information. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized readiness to use subpoena power when DEI programs present indications of race discrimination.

Read at www.npr.org