EEOC determination signals potential civil rights breach for Cisco staff
A federal finding suggests the San Jose-based technology firm created a hostile environment for Muslim and Arab employees following internal activism over sales to Israel.
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a letter of determination stating that Cisco may have violated the civil rights of its Middle Eastern and Muslim employees. The finding indicates that the networking technology company subjected staff to a hostile work environment, a conclusion reached after an investigation into allegations of harassment and retaliation.
The case originated from a complaint filed in December 2024 by the employee group Bridge to Humanity. The group alleged that tensions escalated after more than 1,700 of Cisco’s 86,000 employees signed an open letter urging the San Jose-based firm to cease supplying technology to the Israeli government. The EEOC’s determination notes that the company retaliated against one unnamed staffer by terminating her for her involvement in pro-Palestine efforts.
According to documents reviewed by the commission, the employees submitted a 76-page report cataloguing hate comments within an internal messaging group known as the Connected Jewish Network. The report outlined remarks that allegedly glorified violence and likened Palestinians to animals. The group claimed that Cisco had initially removed the open letter from an internal site and labelled it as under review, leading to further friction between staff and management.
Legal Aid at Work, the nonprofit legal services organisation that filed the original complaint, described the EEOC’s finding as significant. Christopher Ho, director of the national origin and immigrants’ rights programme at the organisation, noted that this appears to be the first legal context where a governmental finding has sided with Big Tech workers organising for corporate accountability regarding technology sales to Israel.
Despite the June determination, the EEOC’s mediation with Cisco has reportedly stalled. Meanwhile, Legal Aid at Work has submitted additional complaints to the National Labor Relations Board and the California Labor Commissioner. These pending complaints allege that Cisco unlawfully interfered with employees' federally protected rights to engage in concerted activity and political activities under the California Labor Code.
Cisco has not responded to media inquiries regarding the findings. The EEOC maintained that under federal law, both charges filed with and charge inquiries made to the agency are confidential, meaning it can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any specific charge.
