A group of attorneys general from 16 states issued guidance to employers on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the workplace.

The guidance came in response to a recent Trump administration executive order that targets DEI&A policies. The attorneys general note the order conflates valid and legal programs and practices supporting DEI&A with unlawful preferences in hiring and promotion.

“The president’s order is an attempt to bully employers into eliminating lawful policies that we know reduce complaints of illegal discrimination, increase a company’s bottom line and improve workforce culture and consumer experience,” Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said in a press release.

Campbell is leading the effort along with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

“Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives do more than prevent discrimination — they promote respect, understanding and the celebration of diverse perspectives,” Raoul said in a press release. “This means ensuring that people of diverse races, backgrounds and beliefs are present and valued in workplace and educational settings, that everyone receives fair treatment and equal access to opportunities, and that individuals or groups feel welcomed and supported in those settings.”

The guidance notes that DEI&A best practices are not illegal, and the federal government does not have the legal authority to issue an executive order that prohibits otherwise lawful activities in the private sector.

The guidance can be found online.

State attorneys general taking part in the guidance are from  Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.

A group of state attorneys general previously State AGs fight back against Trump’s anti-DE&I orders against federal anti-DE&I orders.