Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce

The order directs the heads of all federal agencies to treat diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) as a core management priority. It requires the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget to produce a Government-wide DEIA Strategic Plan within 150 days. Each agency must then submit a preliminary workforce assessment within 100 days and develop its own Agency DEIA Strategic Plan within 120 days of the government-wide plan's release, updating it annually. The order also requires agencies to expand paid internships, build recruitment partnerships with minority-serving institutions, track demographic data across hiring and promotion, review pay practices for equity, and provide LGBTQ+-inclusive healthcare coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the Military Health System.

The order does not itself change any law, regulation, or civil-service classification. Most of its operative requirements are directed at internal agency management and workforce practices. Independent agencies are encouraged but not required to comply. The order includes a standard savings clause stating it creates no legally enforceable rights for individuals against the federal government.

All federal executive-branch agencies and their employees, job applicants, interns, and fellows. Specific populations — including employees with disabilities, LGBTQ+ federal workers, formerly incarcerated job seekers, and members of underserved communities — face targeted new protections and outreach requirements.

Federal employees from underserved communities gain expanded access to workplace accommodations, inclusive healthcare benefits, and clearer pathways for advancement. Job seekers benefit from new recruiting outreach and an expanded pool of paid internships. Agencies face mandatory planning, reporting, and data-collection burdens tied to measurable DEIA outcomes.

Implementation proceeds in stages: agencies first complete internal assessments (100-day deadline), OPM and OMB then publish the Government-wide plan (150-day deadline), and agencies follow with their own plans (120 days after that). Annual reporting to the President and public disclosure keep the cycle running. OPM and OMB provide technical assistance and updated guidance, and the EEOC coordinates on data standards. Enforcement relies on reporting obligations and management accountability rather than penalties; the order is subject to available appropriations and existing law.