In March, a press release from the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) Acting Chair, Andrea Lucas, affirmed her commitment to holding universities accountable for anti-Semitism in campus workplaces. Lucas stated, “Under the guise of promoting free speech, many universities have actually become a haven for antisemitic conduct, often in violation of the universities’ own time, place, and manner policies, as well as civil rights law.” The EEOC offered resources for employees and employers on how to address anti-Semitism in the workplace, highlighting a training featuring Acting Chair Lucas and then-Commissioner Keith Sonderling, who now serves as the Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor. In the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, there has been a large increase of anti-Semitism on college campuses. While much of the focus has been on students on college campuses, these universities are also employers, and legal protections extend to their employees, too. Jewish professors and any university employees have the right to not be discriminated against or harassed on the basis of religion, national origin, or race. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits any form of harassment in the workplace. Some examples of this may include unwelcome remarks or conduct based on religion. This harassing behavior becomes illegal when it is so frequent or severe it creates a hostile work environment. As listed in the release, this might include vandalism, assaults, death threats, violent slogans and symbols, or disruptive and violent protests in violation of campus policies, among other anti-Semitic conduct, that, if severe and pervasive, would violate an employee’s Title VII rights. This press release was preceded by President Trump’s Executive Order 14188: Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism and the Department of Justice’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Also in March, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to 60 universities under investigation for anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment. The EEOC affirmed its commitment to “stopping and redressing the crisis of antisemitism in our nation” by collaborating with the rest of the federal government. The statement concluded by offering a series of resources for employers and employees on addressing anti-Semitism at work, including a training video from the Brandeis Center. The Brandeis Center remains a leading resource for addressing anti-Semitism and is proud to continue playing a significant role in this important work. Authored By: Samantha Crane