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A more diverse workforce isn’t DEI-motivated discrimination— it’s just demographic change

Trump has weaponized the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to go after employers—like Nike—with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, accusing them of “reverse racism” against white workers.

But nothing in the EEOC’s own data points to evidence of systemic discrimination against white workers. A more diverse workforce reflects demographic changes: People of color have made up a growing share of the U.S. working-age population since 1989.  

The Trump administration’s actions represent an emboldened assertion of white supremacy, and it doesn’t have to be this way → 

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Understand affordability where you live

EPI’s updated Family Budget Calculator shows how much income it takes to afford basic expenses in every U.S. county and metropolitan area in 2025. It estimates community-specific costs—housing, food, transportation, child care, health care, taxes—for 10 family types.

Many families today struggle to make ends meet because their pay hasn’t risen nearly as fast as it could have with the growing economy over the last 50 years. This is a direct result of bad policy choices advancing corporate interests at the expense of typical workers. The new Wage Calculator shows how much higher your pay could be if wages had kept up with productivity since 1979.

Try the tools to better understand affordability →

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Workers' resolve drives unionization in 2025

Nearly a half a million more workers were represented by a union in 2025 compared with 2024. The number of unionized workers was the highest it has been in 16 years.

The increase demonstrates working people’s desire for greater agency in their workplaces and in shaping policies that affect their lives. In a time of fear, uncertainty, and hardship, the importance and benefits of unionization are especially clear.

Read more →

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'No tax on OT' FAQ

The 2025 Republican budget bill created a new, temporary federal income tax deduction for the premium portion of overtime pay. Trump and his administration have sold this policy as a substantial victory for workers.

It is not.

Overtime exists to discourage employers from overworking their employees. This policy will not benefit most workers and could harm them. There will be less pressure on employers to hire more staff and raise wages. All workers will be harmed by the budget bill’s massive cuts to health care, energy, and food assistance programs made to finance tax cuts for the ultrawealthy.

Everything you need to know about ‘no tax on overtime’ →

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