In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive Order No. 11246, which required federal contractors to promote fairness in hiring and employment. It was also known as the Equal Opportunity Order. This order applied to businesses that have contracts with the U.S. government, holding them accountable for treating workers equally regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
One main goal of Executive Order 11246 was to prevent discrimination and encourage equal opportunity. Under this order, contractors had to practice fair hiring, fair promotion, and fair compensation. They also needed to keep records to show they followed the rules.
Over the years since 19965, Executive Order 11246 had been updated to expand protections and reflect changes in social attitudes. For example, from 2014 through the beginning of 2025, it also covered discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The purpose was to ensure that federal contractors maintain a workplace where people are treated fairly, regardless of their personal backgrounds.
However, on January 21, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order No. 14173, also known as the Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Order. It revoked Executive Order No. 11246, prohibits federal contractors from promoting or engaging in Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and bans federal agencies from using DEI as a factor in federal government contracting and decision making. The stated goal is to eliminate illegal discrimination and DEI factors from government and private decision making in contracts and employment, and encourage merit-based decisions.