The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has launched an investigation into Nike following allegations that the company discriminated against white employees and job applicants, according to multiple media reports.
In a motion filed Wednesday, the EEOC said it is seeking “information directly relevant to the allegations” that Nike “subjected white employees, applicants and training program participants to disparate treatment based on race in various employment decisions,” the New York Times reported. The filing asks a federal court to compel Nike to comply with a subpoena the agency issued in September after the company allegedly failed to voluntarily turn over the requested records.
According to the motion, the EEOC is examining whether Nike made race-based decisions involving layoffs, internships, mentoring, leadership development, and other career advancement programs.
CNN reported that the EEOC is requesting documents dating back to 2018 related to what it described as “race-based workforce representation quotas.” The agency is also seeking details about 16 mentoring and career development programs that were allegedly restricted by race, as well as information on whether promotions and layoffs were decided at least in part on racial considerations.
The investigation comes as Nike faces financial and operational challenges. The company has been working to recover from what analysts have described as strategic missteps that contributed to a prolonged sales slump. In response, Nike’s management has sought to clear excess inventory, accelerate product development, and refocus the brand on core sports and athlete partnerships.
In 2021, Nike unveiled a five-year plan to increase diversity within its workforce. The plan included goals to boost representation of women in leadership roles and to reach 35 percent racial minority representation in its American workforce. The company also tied portions of executive compensation to meeting diversity-related benchmarks.
The EEOC said its enforcement action was prompted after Nike did not fully comply with the September subpoena, leaving the agency to seek court intervention. The investigation does not represent a finding of wrongdoing, but it signals heightened federal scrutiny of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and whether they comply with federal anti-discrimination law.
Nike has not publicly commented on the investigation. The outcome could have broader implications for how large corporations structure diversity programs and make employment decisions while navigating the boundaries of federal civil rights protections.
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