Supervisor wants DEI language for Fresno County jobs removed. How would that affect hires?
As President Donald Trump and corporations nationwide roll back on commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, one Fresno County Supervisor also wants to scrub any language that suggests DEI from county job postings.
On Friday, District 2 Supervisor Garry Bredefeld announced that Fresno County Human Resources is conducting an “audit” to remove what he called politically-driven language for Fresno County government job posts.
“DEI, diversity, equity, inclusion should be replaced with equality, merit and color blindness,” he said.
Fresno County spokesperson Sonja Dosti said in a statement individual board members do not have the authority to change policy, without a majority vote from the board of supervisors.
“However, the County appreciates Supervisor Bredefeld’s efforts that align with an ongoing review by Human Resources pursuant to changes in the Federal government earlier this year,” she said.
The Board of Supervisors has not discussed or voted on the county’s hiring language since Bredefeld joined the board in January.
“I didn’t feel the need to ask the board for anything. This is against the law. It’s inappropriate,” Bredefeld said.
It’s unclear whether the removal of DEI language would have any impact on hires for county job openings, which already include equal employment opportunity language that prohibits hiring based on an applicant’s race, gender, age or religion.
Dosti said the county has made some minor language changes to some hiring materials, including those referenced by Bredefeld during the press conference.
“Recently, the Human Resources department removed minor language from a couple of fliers that could be interpreted as inconsistent with EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity), even though they were consistent with State programs. While these few fliers did not impact the County’s merit-based, hiring policies, Human Resources has been actively updating and standardizing all job flyers and adding the County’s vision and mission,” she said.
Bredefeld took issue with job postings from the behavioral health and social services departments.
During the press conference, he passed out copies of a December 2024 job posting for an unlicensed mental health clinician that said “we place a great deal of importance on having Behavioral Health system of care team members who possess lived experiences, are reflective of our community, and have the expertise to ensure our workforce is culturally and linguistically responsive and maximizes our diversity to render quality services in the most responsive, affirming and caring manner possible for the persons we serve.”
He also highlighted language in the job post that referenced serving LGBTQ+ community members. During his time on Fresno City Council, Bredefeld was known for making repeated attacks against the transgender community.
Bredefeld said he thinks “the most qualified people” are being discriminated against with the use of this language, which he said was in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws and was “highly divisive.”
“Everyone should believe that if you’re hired, it should be based on your merit, your qualifications, your experience, not on the color of your skin, not on your gender, or not any other factor,” he said.
But in a follow-up phone call with The Bee Friday morning, Bredefeld said he had not received any complaints about the county’s hiring language.
Nor did he have any specific examples of anyone that has been passed up for a job or promotion with the county due to this language.
“I have not heard anything,” he said.
The county has several job openings across departments.
As of February 3, 2025, Fresno County had a vacancy rate of 10%, which accounts for 863 vacant positions, Dosti said.
What does Fresno County’s hiring policy say?
Dosti said Fresno County follows both state and federal laws, which prohibit discrimination in hiring practices and harassment under the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Fair Chance Act.
According to the County’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, “the overall goal of the County of Fresno is to obtain and maintain a diverse workforce reflective of its community wherein employees are selected, managed and retained based on merit consistent with the Civil Service System and all Federal and State EEO laws and regulations.”
Dosti said that every job posting includes language stating that “all applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave.”
What is DEI?
A 2023 Harvard Business School blog post defines DEI in the workplace as:
- Diversity: The presence and participation of individuals with varying backgrounds and perspectives, including those who have been traditionally underrepresented
- Equity: Equal access to opportunities and fair, just, and impartial treatment
- Inclusion: A sense of belonging in an environment where all feel welcomed, accepted, and respected
“While there is no formal consensus, most DEI supporters cite the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a catalyst for the modern DEI industry,” according to Forbes Magazine.
Following the U.S. Civil Rights Act, companies and government agencies implemented affirmative action policies to address the longstanding under-representation of certain groups in the workplace and school settings, with an emphasis on race.
Following the May 2020 death of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, there was a renewed interest in diversity efforts, which became commonly referred to as DEI.
On Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order calling for the “termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear. “
Bredefeld also referenced several Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Target, Goldman Sachs, Meta, Amazon, McDonald’s, Ford, Lowe’s, John Deere and others that have have removed DEI from their hiring practices, as well.
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM.
