The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined in June that Cisco, a global technology corporation, likely violated federal civil rights laws protecting Middle Eastern, Muslim, and other employees from workplace discrimination. The agency’s finding is believed to represent the first time the federal enforcement body has concluded that a major company engaged in such violations connected to pro-Palestinian activism that emerged in workplaces and on campuses in recent years.
Complaints filed by Cisco employees in December 2024 documented harassment occurring after the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel. Following the incidents, an internal communications platform at Cisco contained numerous messages characterized as racist and Islamophobic. The hostile rhetoric intensified after more than 1,700 employees signed a public letter questioning the technology company’s business relationships with the Israeli government. According to the complaints, posts on internal forums celebrated killings of Palestinian civilians, used dehumanizing language, and specifically targeted individual Cisco workers who had advocated for Palestinian rights.
The harassment continued and escalated in April 2024 when a group called “Bridge to Humanity,” composed primarily of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim employees, released an open letter urging Cisco to disclose and cease its business dealings with the Israeli military, comply with its own human rights policies, and shield signatories from retaliation. Following the letter’s release, Cisco classified it as a form of harassment and removed it from an internal signing platform. Some posts on company forums made threats toward signatories, with one commenter suggesting signatories should “quit living.” Employees expressed concerns that their names could be used to target or endanger them, particularly those with connections to Palestine or family members in the region. Cisco responded only after a two-month delay with a 76-page report detailing problematic content, stating it had removed comments deemed “inappropriate.”
Cisco has disputed the EEOC’s findings, stating the company thoroughly investigated concerns and took appropriate action. Several employees who led efforts challenging the company’s Israeli military ties have subsequently departed the company through termination, layoffs, or forced exits. The EEOC’s determination follows separate complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board and California labor commissioner, both currently under review. Legal representatives for affected employees indicate that mediation efforts have stalled and that workers are evaluating litigation options.
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