Report: Amtrak to end DEI resources, enforce 4-day office mandate

Amtrak will halt investing in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and policies, and will enforce an in-office work mandate starting next month, Bloomberg reported yesterday.

The national intercity passenger railroad, a federally chartered corporation, sent an email to employees notifying them it will no longer dedicate funding to DEI initiatives, and is revising its policy to require four days a week of in-office work starting March 3, the news service reported. An Amtrak spokesperson confirmed the report's accuracy to Progressive Railroading.

In an undated statement on the Amtrak's website, CEO Stephen Gardner said the railroad strives to create a workplace that reflects its passengers and the communities it serves.

"We want all employees to feel like they belong at Amtrak. As CEO, I am committed to furthering our work to cultivate a cohesive and connected employee experience and culture that serves our workforce. I am proud of what we have accomplished together so far. I am confident in our future direction as we continue to connect more people and places across America," Gardner says in the statement.

The website also shows that Amtrak was recognized for DEI efforts by various organizations in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Businesses across the country have begun ending or paring back DEI policies since President Donald Trump said he wants an end to such programs in the federal government. In addition, he asked government agencies to nominate private companies and businesses for potential investigations into what he claims are "illegal DEI" practices.

Major companies that have announced they're reducing or ending DEI programs are Target, Amazon.com, Meta Platforms Inc. and Walmart.