A Muted Black History Month As DEI Cuts Continue

In this week’s edition of Forbes Edge, we’ll take a look at the layoffs occurring at the IRS in the middle of tax season, offer up five ChatGPT prompts to help you be more persuasive at work and more. But first, a discussion about why Black History Month has felt a bit different this year:

It’s the last week of Black History Month, and celebrations have been markedly muted this year.?

The month-long commemoration was first recognized in 1976 when President Gerald Ford established Black History Month to celebrate African American history and achievements in the United States. It’s been observed every February since. But this year, Black History Month comes in the midst of a larger national pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion programs.?

Businesses have been rolling back DEI initiatives for the last year due to pressure from conservative investors. And the pace of such rollbacks has increased since President Donald Trump took office.?

A number of government agencies said they will no longer celebrate identity-based observances like Black History Month, Pride Month and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and apps like Google Calendar have said they will no longer mark those observances across calendars.?

President Trump himself has signed a number of executive orders cutting back on DEI programming and funding, and has shifted employment policy at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to focus on “anti-American bias” instead of race or gender discrimination.?

That’s not to say the federal government has gone completely silent on Black History Month. Trump acknowledged the celebratory month in January, and hosted a reception honoring the occasion last week at the White House, despite his own executive orders rolling back DEI––parts of which a federal judge has blocked. And a number of businesses, like Apple and Costco, have doubled down on their commitment to protecting DEI programs.?

As Black History Month comes to an end and the U.S. continues its debate over DEI policies, support for Black history, businesses and employees should be year-round, writes contributor Julie Kratz.

Happy reading, and hope you have a lovely week!

— Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Careers Reporter

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Touch Base

News from the world of work

Thousands of IRS workers were fired last week as we enter the heart of tax season, Kelly Phillips Erb reports. This comes after the agency recalled workers who had taken the government’s deferred resignation program offer earlier in the year, stating that certain “critical filing season positions” were exempt.?

While employees are increasingly less confident about their employer’s business outlook, CEO confidence is on the rise. According to a new report by The Conference Board, CEO confidence has surged to a three-year high, thanks to a stronger economic climate. The survey does, however, point to growing concerns about how mass deportations could impact the labor force.?

Elon Musk isn’t the only billionaire to have come into the United States through an immigrant visa. Here are the billionaires who benefited from H1-B visas to launch their careers (and wealth) in the U.S. Tech companies, led by Amazon, were awarded the most H1-B visas last year.?

DOGE continues to cut jobs across the federal government. Employees at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, FEMA, TSA and even the Department of Defense were recently laid off.?

The massive government layoffs are starting to worry Wall Street analysts. One prominent economist called the DOGE-led cuts a “growing” risk to the American economy and markets, Derek Saul reports.?

But they’re also worrying the very people carrying them out. Twenty-one federal technology staffers resigned from DOGE on Tuesday, saying they wouldn’t use their technical expertise to “dismantle critical public services,” according to the AP.?

And despite all these cuts, the Trump Administration has continued to rehire federal staff in “critical” positions shortly after removing them from those same positions. This week, workers at the FDA were asked to come back after trade groups pushed back against cuts. Folks at the National Park Services and those working with bird flu at the Department of Agriculture were also reinstated.

QUIZ

According to a recent survey by global HR company Deel, which generation of workers saw the fastest salary growth in 2024?

A. Gen Z

B. Millennials

C. Gen X

D. Baby Boomers

Check if you got it right here.