Staff Reports
President Trump has once again shaken things up in Washington, sending shockwaves through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, with a trio of late-night firings that guarantee this agency will be a shell of its former self. By cutting loose two Democratic commissioners and the EEOC’s general counsel, Trump has effectively made the agency incapable of taking any formal action, marking a notable shift in the government’s handling of employment rights and discrimination claims.
The two purged commissioners, Charlotte A. Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels, expressed their outrage at being ousted under cover of darkness. Their dismissals could leave the EEOC in a state of paralysis, as the agency now lacks the necessary quorum to take action. This maneuver comes on the heels of an aggressive push by the Trump administration to dismantle what many call “woke policies” in the workplace, policies they argue contribute to a culture of division rather than inclusion.
BREAKING: President Trump fires both Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrows.
They both will no longer serve on the Employment Opportunity Commission.(EEOC) pic.twitter.com/mI6TixD2eA
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) January 28, 2025
According to White House insiders, the dismissed officials were labeled far-left appointees who had a track record of undermining long-standing labor laws. The administration claims these appointments were made in an era of overreach under the previous administration, where companies were practically coerced into adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that many conservatives view as problematic. Companies were seemingly bullied into replacing the idea of equality with a warped version dictated by equity, going against the principles of meritocracy that built this nation.
Post-firing, Burrows has enlisted legal representation, claiming her removal is unprecedented, akin to being dealt an unjustly harsh blow. She argues that the actions of the Trump administration will severely impact the agency’s ability to protect employees from discrimination and support employers in navigating federal laws. However, the fact remains that unlike the more legally protected National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) chair, whose removal would require cause, the EEOC operates under less stringent removal guidelines. Consequently, Trump’s move appears well within his rights.
Some speculate that Trump’s actions are strategically paving the way for a Supreme Court battle over the powers of independent agencies. There’s a growing belief that he intends to challenge the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor ruling, which limits the President’s ability to dismiss commissioners of independent agencies only for cause. By streamlining the EEOC and the NLRB, Trump might be setting the stage to argue for more executive control over these agencies in a court that has already shown a willingness to overturn precedent, as seen with the recent ruling on Chevron deference.
While the world watches to see how these events will unfold, one thing is clear: with the EEOC’s ranks diminished and its powers curbed, the days of regulatory overreach that stifle business and infringe upon the rights of employers are on the decline. And if the Supreme Court ultimately agrees with Trump’s stance, the administrative state may soon find itself operating under a whole new set of rules.
