Los Angeles, CA. — The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has filed a lawsuit against the University of California, alleging it permitted a hostile work environment for Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The complaint alleges that following the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitic conduct escalated on UCLA’s campus and that university administrators failed to prevent or correct discriminatory and harassing behavior directed at Jewish and Israeli employees.
According to the lawsuit, the University engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination by allowing harassment to continue and by failing to enforce viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions. The suit also alleges the University negligently permitted a hostile work environment affecting two charging parties and other Jewish and Israeli employees.
Federal officials cited events in 2024 in front of UCLA’s Royce Hall, where the complaint alleges Jewish individuals were barred from portions of the main quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were graffitied on university buildings. The lawsuit further claims Jewish and Israeli faculty were physically threatened, had classrooms disrupted, and were subjected to ostracism and harassment by colleagues and students.
The Justice Department alleges that some university employees failed to report incidents as required and that some supervisors and colleagues participated in the conduct. The complaint states that several Jewish and Israeli employees took leave, worked remotely, or left their positions to avoid the alleged hostile environment.
“Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division said the allegations, if proven, would represent serious failures by the university to maintain a workplace free from antisemitic harassment.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California said the federal government has an obligation to ensure universities maintain discrimination-free environments.
The lawsuit stems from a Commissioner’s Charge filed in June 2024 by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC investigated the allegations and identified concerns with the university’s complaint process.
In a statement, Lucas said the EEOC remains committed to addressing antisemitism in the workplace and will act when institutions fail to investigate and remedy allegations.
The case will proceed in federal court, where the Justice Department will seek relief under Title VII to address what it describes as ongoing discriminatory conditions at UCLA.
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