Why Replace DEI With MEI When 'Merit' Has Been a CONDITION of Federal Employment Per the 'Merit Systems Protection Board' (MSPB) Since 1978?

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

The information below resulted from an inquiry I made about Trump/Musk/Ramaswamy et al having publicly stated that they were going to issue a "return to work" mandate in order to get half of the federal workforce to quit, thereby saving them the expenses of severance packages and unemployment benefits which workers are not entitled to if they quit instead of having been fired.

I found the following information to be quite informative.

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Merit in Federal Hiring: Untangling DEI and Affirmative Action Myths​

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.​

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Federal Hiring Is Merit-Based, Not Demographic-Based​

The core tenet of the CSRA is that federal employees must be hired and promoted based on their abilities and qualifications, not their demographic characteristics. This has been the law for nearly half a century. Despite this clear legislative foundation, critics often perpetuate the narrative that Black Americans and other underrepresented groups in the federal workforce have advanced solely due to affirmative action or DEI initiatives.​

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Let’s unpack this misconception:​

1. What Affirmative Action and DEI Actually Do:
   • These programs aim to ensure opportunity by eliminating barriers that historically excluded qualified individuals from competing for jobs.
   • They focus on creating fair hiring and promotional practices, not on bypassing merit for the sake of demographics.
2. Merit and Diversity Are Not Contradictory:
   • The existence of DEI programs does not negate the merit-based system. Rather, these programs level the playing field, allowing diverse candidates to demonstrate their qualifications in spaces from which they were previously excluded.
   • The CSRA ensures that federal hiring is fair and competitive, so no candidate, regardless of race, is selected without meeting the necessary qualifications.

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Historical Context: Before and After Civil Rights Legislation​

Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discriminatory practices systematically excluded Black Americans and other minority groups from opportunities in federal employment and beyond. Affirmative action and DEI initiatives were introduced to dismantle these barriers—not to give unqualified individuals an advantage, but to ensure that qualified individuals were no longer excluded due to race, gender, or other factors.​

• Affirmative Action's Purpose: It opened doors to candidates who had previously been shut out due to discriminatory practices, enabling them to compete on an equal footing.
• Post-1978 Federal Hiring: With the CSRA in place, federal employees have been evaluated and selected based on their ability to meet job requirements.

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The "Merit" in Merit Systems Protection Board​

The very name of the Merit Systems Protection Board underscores the principle that federal employees are evaluated and retained based on their merit.​

• Irony in the DEI Backlash:
  • Critics argue that affirmative action or DEI somehow bypass merit, yet the MSPB explicitly safeguards merit in hiring decisions.
  • This contradiction reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between diversity programs and merit-based hiring.

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Reframing the Narrative​

Rather than framing affirmative action and DEI as mechanisms for bypassing qualifications, it’s essential to recognize their role in ensuring equal access. Here’s the reality:​

• Everyone hired into the federal government since 1978 has been subject to a merit-based hiring system.
• Affirmative action and DEI do not diminish qualifications; they amplify fairness, ensuring qualified individuals from all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to compete.

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Conclusion​

To suggest that Black Americans or other underrepresented groups "only got their jobs because of affirmative action" is to ignore both the legislative history of the CSRA and the reality of federal hiring practices. It dismisses the qualifications, hard work, and dedication of federal employees, whose employment has been governed by merit for nearly 50 years. Affirmative action and DEI are not antithetical to merit—they ensure that merit has a chance to shine across all demographics, unclouded by bias or systemic exclusion.​

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SOURCES​

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1. Federal Hiring and Promotion Based on Merit​

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) established that federal employment decisions must be based on merit, ensuring that qualifications, skills, and performance are the primary criteria for hiring and promotion.​

• Source: Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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2. Role of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)​

The Merit Systems Protection Board was created to oversee and enforce merit-based hiring practices, protecting federal employees from arbitrary actions and ensuring adherence to merit system principles.​

• Source: The Merit System Principles: Guiding the Fair and Effective Management of the Federal Workforce

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3. Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity​

Affirmative action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives aim to provide equal opportunities by removing barriers that historically excluded qualified individuals from federal employment. These programs do not grant unqualified individuals positions but ensure that all qualified candidates have a fair chance to compete.​

• Source: Affirmative Action - U.S. Department of Labor

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4. Addressing Misconceptions​

The misconception that Black individuals or other minorities are hired solely due to affirmative action overlooks the merit-based framework established by the CSRA. Affirmative action ensures equal access to opportunities, allowing all qualified individuals to compete fairly.​

• Source: Affirmative action | Definition, History, & Cases | Britannica

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5. Historical Context​

Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discriminatory practices excluded minorities from federal employment. Affirmative action and DEI initiatives were introduced to dismantle these barriers, ensuring that qualified individuals from all backgrounds have the opportunity to compete based on merit.​

• Source: A Brief History of Affirmative Action - University of California, Irvine

 

[Hellokitty]

Wait so now liberals are acknowledging DEI hiring is a practice?

 

[Lisa558]

I see nothing wrong with requiring federal employees to come into the office every day and work a full week. The ones I know “working” from home are scamming the taxpayers.

And it’s a much better idea than laying off employees altogether: those who want to keep their jobs have to come to the office, and others will be let go.

These type of things have to happen in order to right-size the government and get rid of the redundancy and abuse.

 

[IM2]

Wait so now liberals are acknowledging DEI hiring is a practice?

I really think white women should stop commenting in the negative about a policy that has helped them more than anyone.

Second, you seem to miss this part to run your mouth:

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.

 

[IM2]

I see nothing wrong with requiring federal employees to come into the office every day and work a full week. The ones I know “working” from home are scamming the taxpayers.

And it’s a much better idea than laying off employees altogether: those who want to keep their jobs have to come to the office, and others will be let go.

These type of things have to happen in order to right-size the government and get rid of the redundancy and abuse.

Read this and recognize that you benefitted from DEI.

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.

This means no one black is being given an advantage.

 

[Hellokitty]

I really think white women should stop commenting in the negative about a policy that has helped them more than anyone.

Second, you seem to miss this part to run your mouth:

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.

GTFOH, in order to push DEI, the qualifications, skills and performance standards were lowered. There are countless examples of this having been done.
Just to be clear I fully acknowledge there are also countless examples of white men being hired not based on qualifications, skills or performance. Joe as POTUS is a perfect example.

 

[Frankenstein]

I really think white women should stop commenting in the negative about a policy that has helped them more than anyone.

Second, you seem to miss this part to run your mouth:

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.

Doesn't make it right, why don't you just go bury your head in the sand, and keep playing victim, you wouldn't be happy until all whites were out of work, and black people had every job.

 

[IM2]

Doesn't make it right, why don't you just go bury your head in the sand, and keep playing victim, you wouldn't be happy until all whites were out of work, and black people had every job.

Seems like you're the one playing victim son. With DEI in place whites have the majorty of jobs. And like I said, white women have benefitted the most.

 

[IM2]

GTFOH, in order to push DEI, the qualifications, skills and performance standards were lowered. There are countless examples of this having been done.
Just to be clear I fully acknowledge there are also countless examples of white men being hired not based on qualifications, skills or performance. Joe as POTUS is a perfect example.

Wrong. You have been shown the standards.

If you want to talk about white men not quaified for POTUS, Trump was the least quallified. I've hired people, meaning I've looked at resumes. And if a man has been a senator and Vice President, he is more qualified for the job of president than a man who inherIted his daddys business. And Biden has done a fine job given the mess he was handed..

 

[Frankenstein]

Seems like you're the one playing victim son. With DEI in place whites have the majorty of jobs. And like I said, white women have benefitted the most.

Doesn't change that hiring for anything but qualifications, IS WRONG. You are the racist, demanding less qualified be hired for color.

 

[DGS49]

Interesting.

I applied for and was hired by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1975.

Part of the application process was taking the Professional and Administrative Career Exam - commonly referred to as the "PACE Test." At the time, if you didn't score at least 80 (percentile), you had no chance of being hired. (I scored over 100 because I got five points "Veterans' Preference" on top of a score in the high 90's). To my advantage, having a college degree made no difference in one's score (I did not have a degree at the time).

When Jimmy Carter was President, somebody whispered in his ear that "Negroes are being 'systematically' excluded from these desirable government jobs because their scores on the PACE Test are...dreadful." This was back in the day when people actually took it seriously that such tests could be "culturally biased," and that was the reason for Blacks' poor scores. Also, it was a time when "equal opportunity" was considered a desirable end - a VERY long time ago.

So Jimmy Carter "cancelled" the PACE Test, and directed the Office of Personnel Management to devise a new test, with no cultural bias, such that Blacks would achieve high scores in proportion with their percentage of the general population.

Hold the laughter, please.

Of course, such a test did not exist, could not exist, and was never produced by OPM. There has been no testing requirement for Federal "professional and administrative" jobs since then. It is the classic government bureaucrat's response to the conundrum when you want to ask a question but know that the answer will be unacceptable; don't ask the question [Don't give the test].

Bottom line: The Feds CANNOT hire or promote on the basis of "merit," because to do so would result in only microscopic percentages of Black and Hispanic hires and promotions, a condition that is anathema to government folks and Democrats who actually control the bureaucracy.

 

[irosie91]

Read this and recognize that you benefitted from DEI.

Since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), federal hiring and promotion practices have been grounded in a system that emphasizes merit. This means that qualifications, skills, and performance are the decisive factors in determining who is hired or promoted within the federal government. The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which oversees these processes, exists to ensure adherence to these principles, safeguarding federal employees from arbitrary, politically motivated, or discriminatory actions.

This means no one black is being given an advantage.

meaningless

 

[Hellokitty]

Wrong. You have been shown the standards.

If you want to talk about white men not quaified for POTUS, Trump was the least quallified. I've hired people, meaning I've looked at resumes. And if a man has been a senator and Vice President, he is more qualified for the job of president than a man who inherIted his daddys business. And Biden has done a fine job given the mess he was handed..o

So according to your standards TRUMP was more qualified than Harris because he was POTUS...

 

[BackAgain]

DEI should die. Merit is the key to proper hiring.

 

[IM2]

So according to your standards TRUMP was more qualified than Harris because he was POTUS...

So according to my standards a convicted felon waiting for sentencing doesn't get a job.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Wait so now liberals are acknowledging DEI hiring is a practice?

You might want to read the OP.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

GTFOH, in order to push DEI, the qualifications, skills and performance standards were lowered. There are countless examples of this having been done.\

Whoever told you that is lying and/or a racist. And you perpetuating this untruth makes you the same. But you don't have to take my word for it, let's look at a specific occupation

Please explain to me how qualifications, skills and performance standards are lowered for commercial airline pilots.

I'll wait.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Doesn't make it right, why don't you just go bury your head in the sand, and keep playing victim, you wouldn't be happy until all whites were out of work, and black people had every job.

White racists feel entitled to ALL of the jobs except the most menial that they don't want to do. And some of them will do things to prevent us from having even those.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Med schools have themselves admitted if they didn’t have lower cut-offs for blacks and instead applied universal standards regardless of race, black students would be only 3% - 4% of the student body.

There was a similar problem with TJ High School - a competitive public high school ranked #1 in the nation. But the Asians were acing the difficult entrance exam, and very, very blacks were scoring high enough to get in. So what did they do? Eliminated the exam, and now they have more blacks (and Latinos) and fewer Asians - and the school, last I checked, dropped down to #15.

Glad we are finally getting rid of prioritizing people according to race and gender, and going back to merit. THAT is how you build a superior student body, a superior workforce, and a superior nation.

The only way you can attempt to prevail in an argument is to change the subject to one in which you feel you have the advantage.

The topic is merit-based hiring and promotion within the federal government. You know, all those Black people you complain about driving around in nice cars because they have all those good government jobs in the DC metropolitan area and surroundings.

Stay on topic or refrain from responding.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

DEI should die. Merit is the key to proper hiring.

Merit-based hiring & promotion is a WRITTEN policy at the federal government level.

In other words, the hiring standards have ALWAYS been based on merit contrary to what you all have been led to believe. So all of these federal employees that you all have been crying about having been hired due to DEI policies is incorrect. They were hired based on the same merit-based standards as everyone else hired into the positions they hold/held

If you had read the OP you would have seen that it explains this.