Key facts
- Conciliation talks between Cisco and employees alleging discrimination over pro-Palestine views have broken down.
- The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) mediated the discussions.
- The EEOC investigator stated Cisco failed to engage in good faith.
- The EEOC had previously found reasonable cause to believe Cisco subjected some employees to a hostile work environment.
- Employees alleged anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments were posted on internal messaging services and in company-administered groups.
- A former Cisco lawyer resigned, citing Islamophobia and the removal of her resignation letter from internal company platforms.
Conciliation talks mediated by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) between Cisco and a group of employees alleging discrimination over pro-Palestine views have collapsed. The talks broke down before any negotiations could take place, with the EEOC investigator stating that Cisco failed to engage with the process in good faith, Middle East Eye revealed.
The EEOC had previously determined there was reasonable cause to believe the technology firm subjected some employees from Muslim and Middle Eastern backgrounds to a "hostile work environment." The agency had proposed conciliation talks, a voluntary and confidential process to resolve employment disputes informally.
Christopher Ho, the lawyer representing the employee group Bridge to Humanity (B2H), described the abrupt end to the conciliation process as a surprise, noting that they had not even exchanged settlement proposals with Cisco. Despite the collapsed mediation, Ho highlighted the significance of the EEOC's intervention, stating it vindicated employees who had organized collectively for accountability.
Cisco has stated it disagrees with the EEOC's findings and is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace. A spokesperson said the company thoroughly investigated all concerns and took appropriate action, while also acknowledging the company's commitment to being an equal opportunity employer and evolving thoughtfully in a complex global environment.
The B2H complaint cited alleged anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments posted on the company’s internal messaging service and in affinity groups. An open letter from B2H to Cisco executives calling for the company to stop selling technology to the Israeli government, disinvest from specific Israeli entities, and establish equal pay between Palestinian and Israeli employees was removed from Cisco's internal pages. Following this, B2H raised concerns that employees who signed the letter were being doxxed.
Reyhan Bilici, a former Cisco lawyer, resigned citing Islamophobia, stating her resignation letter was removed from internal company platforms after discussion with Cisco leadership. Aamir Ahmad, a Cisco finance manager, welcomed the EEOC's intervention and expressed concerns about the disconnect between Cisco's public image and its internal reality, particularly regarding the treatment of vulnerable employees and recent layoffs.