A federal judge has ruled that the University of Pennsylvania must hand over records about Jewish employees on campus to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as part of an investigation into antisemitic discrimination, though it does not have to reveal individuals' affiliations with specific Jewish groups.
US District Judge Gerald Pappert upheld most of the subpoena, stating that while employees can refuse to participate, the agency needs the opportunity to speak with them directly to gather evidence. The judge noted that the university and others opposing the subpoena had “significantly raised the dispute’s temperature” by comparing the EEOC’s efforts to the Nazis’ compilation of lists of Jews.
The University of Pennsylvania said in a statement that it is committed to confronting antisemitism and plans to appeal the ruling. It expressed concerns about privacy and First Amendment rights, emphasising that it does not maintain employee lists by religion. The EEOC investigation stems from incidents including antisemitic vandalism and protests related to the war in Gaza.
The agency argued that identifying witnesses and victims is essential to determining whether a hostile work environment existed. The university must now provide contact information for Jewish employees, though affiliations with Jewish organisations are exempt from disclosure.
