The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has determined that global tech company Cisco probably violated the civil rights of its Middle Eastern, Muslim, and other employees. The federal agency, responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws, reached this finding earlier this summer.
This is believed to be the first time the EEOC has found a major company at fault in connection with pro-Palestinian advocacy. Margaret Ly, local director of the EEOC’s San Jose office, stated in a 9 June letter that an investigation found "reasonable cause to believe that [Cisco] subjected a class of individuals to a hostile work environment based on their national origin (Middle Eastern), religion (Muslim), and/or their association with Muslim and/or Middle Eastern individuals, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
Employee complaints filed in December 2024 described how, after the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel, a Cisco internal communications platform contained racist and Islamophobic messages. These messages reportedly escalated after over 1,700 employees signed a public letter challenging Cisco’s ties to the Israeli government. Posts allegedly celebrated the killings of Palestinian civilians, called them animals, and targeted individual employees who had advocated for Palestinian rights.
Cisco did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a spokesperson told Politico that the company "disagree[d]" with the EEOC’s finding, adding that Cisco "thoroughly investigated all concerns and took appropriate action."
Mediation with Cisco led by the EEOC "didn’t go anywhere," according to Christopher Ho, a director at Legal Aid at Work, which represents the employees. Employees are now considering next steps, including collective and individual litigation.