Baltimore Health Department Accused of Segregating Employees by Race in DEI Workshops

DOJ launches investigation into alleged discriminatory practices at the Baltimore City Health Department.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 6:47pm

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The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) has come under scrutiny for allegedly using taxpayer funds to pay for equity meetings that segregated white employees from 'people of color.' The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has launched an investigation into the BCHD's employment practices, which are accused of discriminating against and segregating employees based on race. The revelations were uncovered through a public information request and investigative reporting by Spotlight on Maryland.

Why it matters

The alleged segregation of employees by race in government-funded DEI workshops raises serious legal and ethical concerns, as it could be seen as a violation of civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on race. The incident highlights the potential for abuse and divisiveness within some DEI initiatives, and the need for close scrutiny of such programs to ensure they are promoting true equality and inclusion.

The details

According to the investigation, the BCHD paid outside consultants from the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB) approximately $50,000 between 2022 and 2024 to conduct 'Undoing Racism' workshops. The consultants advised the BCHD to host separate 'white caucus' and 'people of color caucus' meetings. The BCHD reportedly paid PISAB $150 for each white caucus meeting its people attended and oversaw, with these meetings continuing through at least June 2025.

  • The DOJ's Civil Rights Division launched its investigation in February 2026.
  • The BCHD's segregated DEI workshops were conducted from 2022 through at least June 2025.

The players

Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD)

The government agency accused of using taxpayer funds to segregate employees by race in its DEI workshops.

People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB)

The consulting group that advised the BCHD to host separate 'white caucus' and 'people of color caucus' meetings as part of its 'Undoing Racism' workshops.

Harmeet K. Dhillon

The Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, who announced the investigation into the BCHD's alleged discriminatory practices.

Thiru Vignarajah

The former Maryland deputy attorney general who stated that the BCHD's segregated meetings 'raise serious legal questions.'

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What they’re saying

“Separating employees into training groups based on their race is discriminatory, illegal, and un-American. Such practices are divisive and foster a racially hostile work environment. Racial segregation of employees is deeply offensive to the American guarantee of equal rights under the law, and it will not be tolerated.”

— Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General, Justice Department's Civil Rights Division

“I don't think this is what Thurgood Marshall or the pioneers of the civil rights era had in mind for where we should be...The Supreme Court has always said that diversity is a valuable goal, whether it's in higher education or law school education. Those are valuable goals. But the Supreme Court has also said how you get to those goals matters, and you can't use methods like separating people into white rooms and people of color rooms.”

— Thiru Vignarajah, Former Maryland Deputy Attorney General

What’s next

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division will continue its investigation into the BCHD's alleged discriminatory practices, with a focus on determining whether the agency violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The takeaway

This case highlights the potential for abuse and unintended consequences within some DEI initiatives, and the importance of closely scrutinizing such programs to ensure they are promoting true equality and inclusion, rather than perpetuating harmful racial divisions.