Federal employees given deadlines to name DEI colleagues - or risk ‘adverse consequences’

As of Wednesday, employees had been given 10 days to report colleagues on DEIA schemes that had gone unnoticed by government supervisors, according to NBC

Federal employers have been warned they may face “consequences” if they fail to identify colleagues who have been employed with the government through DEI schemes.

Emails sent to government employees and obtained by NBC News accused staffers of hiding information about those on the schemes by using “coded or imprecise language.”

As of Wednesday, employees had been given 10 days to report colleagues on DEIA schemes that had gone unnoticed by government supervisors.

"We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language," the emails said, per NBC News.

Employees were directed to notify the Office of Personnel Management if they are "aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies."

"There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information," the email said. "However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences.”

According to NBC workers across multiple agencies and departments have received emails with the same language as of Wednesday night.

The Independent has reached out to the White House to confirm the reports and clarify what “adverse consequences” may entail.

The executive order, signed by Trump on Tuesday , asked federal agencies for a plan by January 31 to dismiss the employees (AFP via Getty Images)

It comes after Donald Trump put all federal DEI workers on paid leave this week, with the intention of firing them soon.

The workers were put on paid leave “immediately,” according to the executive order signed on Tuesday night. Employees were ordered to be notified about the leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The order also asked federal agencies for a plan by January 31 to dismiss the employees.

“Ilegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system,” Trump’s order read.

In a separate executive order signed on Monday, affirmed that U.S. policy would "recognize two sexes, male and female."