[Cisco Under EEOC Fire Over Hostile Climate Against Muslim and Arab Staff]
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found that the networking technology company Cisco may have violated the civil rights of Middle Eastern and Muslim employees amid a wave of anti‑Arab and anti‑Muslim comments on internal messaging platforms at the company.
In June, the EEOC, which enforces the nation’s anti‑discrimination statutes, stated that Cisco subjected its staff to a hostile work environment, according to a letter of determination reported by Al Jazeera.
The complaint originated in December 2024 when the “Bridge to Humanity” collective – comprising more than 1,700 Cisco employees – raised concerns that the company supplied technology to the Israeli military for use in its latest operation in Gaza.
Separately, the same group circulated a detailed open letter urging Cisco to cease delivering its technology to the Israeli government.
The grievance dossier was signed by over 1,700 employees out of the corporation’s roughly 86,000 workforce.
Within the December filing, complainants claimed Cisco removed the open letter from an internal portal and left it “under review” before many signatories experienced harassment.
A 76‑page report submitted to Cisco’s Employee Relations and Ethics offices by The Guardian documented the sustained attacks. One excerpt records an anonymous employee describing an incident in which she told another to “quit living”.
The report characterized Cisco’s culture as repeatedly glorifying violence, mocking individuals for risking death abroad, comparing Palestinians and dissenters to animals, labeling followers of alternative worldviews as murderous terrorists, and making derogatory remarks about gender identity.
It further noted that the “Connected Jewish Network” was not a safe space for the company’s Jewish colleagues.
The EEOC’s determination held that Cisco had retaliated against an unnamed staffer who participated in pro‑Palestine efforts, leading to her termination.
The employees’ complaint with the EEOC was filed by Legal Aid at Work, a nonprofit providing legal assistance to labor advocates.
“The EEOC’s determination marks the first instance in any legal proceeding where a government or court has sided with big‑tech workers who have organized to demand corporate accountability regarding their employer’s sales to Israel,” said Christopher Ho, director of Legal Aid at Work’s national origin and immigrants’ rights program, speaking to Al Jazeera.
“The EEOC’s ruling represents a vital step toward accountability and reinforces that federal civil rights protections extend equally to Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and other employees who speak out about Palestine,” explained Jeffrey Wang, civil‑rights lawyer with CAIR’s San Francisco Bay‑area branch.
“Employers must address harassment and discrimination fairly and uniformly. Workers should never face fear of retaliation or a hostile environment due to their religion, national origin, or affiliation with protected communities,” Wang added.
Reporting by The Guardian indicates that while the EEOC issued a determination in June, ongoing mediation with the company has yielded no resolution.
Legal Aid at Work has likewise lodged a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board and the California Labor Commissioner, asserting unlawful interference with employees’ rights to organize concerted action and free political expression.
Al Jazeera contacted the EEOC for comment.
“Under federal law, all charges made with the EEOC remain confidential and the agency cannot confirm or deny their existence,” an EEOC spokesperson replied.
Cisco did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for additional comment.