EEOC withdraws subpoena action against Nike after compliance

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has moved to dismiss its subpoena enforcement action against Nike, stating that the sportswear company has now provided the requested information. The motion was filed in Missouri federal court on Wednesday, roughly seven months after the agency first sought judicial intervention to compel compliance.

In its filing, the EEOC noted that Nike supplied "information and documents responsive to the subpoena" between March and August, leaving "no remaining controversy" for the court to resolve. An agency spokesperson expressed satisfaction that the company complied without a court order, while declining to elaborate further. Nike did not comment on the development.

The case stems from a charge filed by EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas in May 2024, alleging discrimination against white employees. Unlike typical worker-initiated complaints, Lucas filed this charge herself, citing Nike's public diversity programs, increased minority representation in leadership, and its stated goal of 35% minority representation in its corporate workforce by 2025.

The investigation sought extensive data on Nike's employment practices, including layoff selection criteria, use of race and ethnicity data, and details on mentoring and career development programs that were allegedly restricted by race. Nike had previously called the subpoena a "surprising and unusual escalation," arguing that the requests were overly broad and amounted to a "fishing expedition." The company said it had already provided thousands of pages of documents.

This action is part of a broader campaign by the EEOC under the Trump administration targeting corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. The agency has also filed a lawsuit against The New York Times over an alleged hiring discrimination claim. In December, Lucas publicly urged white men to file complaints if they believed they faced discrimination based on race or sex.