HHS Seeks Whistleblowers for DEI Examples in Grants, Workforce

The US Department of Health and Human Services is asking federal workers to share any information on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies that include “discriminatory language” or caused discrimination against employees.

The department sent Monday a diversity, equity, and inclusion whistleblower questionnaire to staff as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to end DEI programs, according to an internal email obtained by Bloomberg Law.

The health department cited the move to be in accordance with President Donald Trump’s executive order signed on his first day in office titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs.”

The administration has been moving quickly to implement this executive order across federal health agencies, taking down webpages that included DEI language and slashing research funds that contain keywords such as “diverse” and “minority.”

The questionnaire asks federal health workers if they’ve witnessed grants, contracts, or training materials with discriminatory language; know of anyone who was passed over for promotion/hiring due to race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information; and know of any former career employees who quit or faced discipline during the previous administration instead of carrying out DEl orders.

The form also asks employees to identify and share details on any DEl policies that caused discrimination against employees, contractors, or members of the general public.

The government said that if employees would like to disclose information about specific individuals that they do not provide names but rather describe the circumstances surrounding the allegation and include their contact information for a follow-up.

Responses to the survey are not sufficient to initiate an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint, the department said. If employees feel that they have been discriminated or retaliated against, they should utilize the relevant EEO processes available to them, according to the form.

The HHS said in an email the survey is in line with Trump’s executive order.