The Justice Department launched an investigation on Wednesday into California’s Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) over allegations of discriminatory hiring practices that consider protected characteristics.
The Civil Rights Division announced it would examine whether the agency and its Air Resources Board violated federal civil rights law through employment policies based on race and sex.
The probe marks another federal challenge to diversity-focused hiring initiatives at state agencies. It signals intensified enforcement of civil rights laws that prohibit race-based employment decisions.
Federal investigators cited publicly available guidance documents from CalEPA highlighting “hiring, promotion and retention practices and policies” that use protected characteristics to “advance racial equity.”
The California Air Resources Board’s “Racial Equity Framework” particularly drew scrutiny for potentially advancing “race-based decision-making within the agency,” according to the Justice Department.
“Race-based employment practices and policies in America’s local and state agencies violate equal treatment under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Agencies that unlawfully use protected characteristics as a factor in employment and hiring risk serious legal consequences.”
The Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether Cal EPA engaged in a pattern of discrimination based on race, sex, color, and national origin. Such practices would violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Justice Department issued a formal notice letter to California officials outlining the investigation’s scope. The probe could result in litigation if investigators find systematic discrimination.