President Trump on Tuesday revoked a decades-old executive order that strengthened protections against workplace discrimination.

Why it matters: Trump's desire to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government's employment practices could set the tone for private companies nationwide to do the same.

• Trump's executive order targeting DEI practices undid a whole host of previous orders that sought to prohibit discrimination in the workplace. Among the landmark pieces of legislation were anti-discrimination rules enacted by President Lyndon Johnson in the Civil Rights era.

What is the Equal Employment Opportunity Act?

Signed by Johnson in 1965, Executive Order 11246, mandated government contractors to give equal opportunity to people of color and women in recruitment, hiring, training and other employment practices.

• It prohibited employment discrimination and called on federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure employees are treated equally, "without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin."
• Johnson signed the act just a year after signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Congress later expanded on the executive order in the Equal Opportunity Employment Act of 1972, increasing the number of employees covered by the workplace protections and requiring state and local governments to follow the rules outlined.

What does Trump's executive order say?

Trump's expansive executive order states that "Executive Order 11246...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTFBVbWs0SzdmWFlIcjFqWVQ1VUR5...