EEOC Finds Cisco May Have Discriminated Against Muslim and Arab Employees

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has raised serious allegations against Cisco, suggesting that the tech giant fostered a hostile work environment for its Middle Eastern and Muslim staff. This determination follows a complaint submitted in December 2024 by a group of employees known as Bridge to Humanity (B2H), who voiced concerns about the company's technology being used by the Israeli military amid ongoing violence in Gaza.

According to a letter from the EEOC, which was revealed in a report by Politico Pro, allegations include a culture of harassment on internal messaging platforms, particularly within a group called the Connected Jewish Network. B2H claimed that Cisco removed their open letter, which had garnered over 1,700 signatures, from the internal site and subsequently retaliated against some signatories.

The report detailed troubling comments made by employees, including one that expressed gratitude for violence against Palestinians. The EEOC's findings also highlighted that one employee faced termination for her pro-Palestine activism, further illustrating the alleged retaliation against those who spoke out.

Legal Aid at Work, which represents the employees, emphasized that the EEOC's determination is unprecedented in terms of legal support for tech workers advocating for corporate accountability regarding technology sales to Israel. Advocacy groups, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), praised the EEOC's ruling as a significant move toward accountability for discrimination against Muslim and Arab employees.

Despite the EEOC's findings in June, mediation efforts between the agency and Cisco have reportedly stalled. Legal Aid at Work has also filed additional complaints with the National Labor Relations Board and the California Labor Commissioner regarding interference with workers' rights, which remain pending.

Source: www.aljazeera.com