The federal government has launched an investigation against the University of California system for race- and sex-based employment practices.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the investigation on Thursday.
The big picture: The investigation targets the UC system’s “UC 2030 Capacity Plan,” which directs campuses to hire diverse faculty members and to meet race- and sex-based employment quotas.
- Such initiatives measure new hires by their race and sex, which the Department of Justice said potentially violates federal law.
- The investigation will be conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section, which will investigate if the UC system is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex or other characteristics pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
What they’re saying: “Public employers are bound by federal laws that prohibit racial and other employment discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law.”
Zoom in: Dhillon sent a letter to UC President Michael Drake on Thursday informing him of the investigation.
- In the letter, Dhillon wrote that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against people based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
- “When the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that a state or local government employer is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of Title VII, it is the Attorney General’s responsibility to take appropriate action to eliminate that violation, including presenting the matter to the appropriate court for civil proceedings,” Dhillon wrote.
- Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Sell will conduct the investigation.
