Judge to Decide if Penn Must Disclose Records in Antisemitism Probe

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is seeking employee information related to Jewish affiliations.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A federal judge in Philadelphia is weighing whether the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission can force the University of Pennsylvania to hand over detailed employee information as part of an investigation into claims of a hostile work environment for Jewish faculty and staff. The EEOC has cited incidents of antisemitic slurs, vandalism, a swastika, and hateful graffiti at the Ivy League school, and is seeking lists that reveal employees' Jewish faith, ancestry, associations with Jewish organizations, and affiliation with Penn's Jewish studies programs.

Why it matters

The case highlights tensions around balancing efforts to investigate and address antisemitism with concerns over employee privacy and civil liberties. The EEOC argues the information is essential to determine if a hostile work environment existed, while Penn and civil liberties groups argue the demand is unconstitutional and could echo "terrifying periods of history for Jewish communities."

The details

The EEOC launched the investigation in 2023, citing several incidents of antisemitism at Penn, including someone shouting antisemitic obscenities and destroying property at a Jewish student life center, a Nazi swastika being painted on an academic building, and "hateful graffiti" left outside a fraternity. The agency is seeking to enforce a subpoena for employee information that Penn has resisted, arguing it would "invade employees' privacy, sense of safety, and constitutional rights."

  • The EEOC investigation began in December 2023.
  • The EEOC filed its request to enforce the subpoena against Penn's Board of Trustees in November 2025.
  • The federal judge heard arguments in the case on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

The players

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The federal agency investigating claims of a hostile work environment for Jewish faculty and staff at the University of Pennsylvania.

University of Pennsylvania

The Ivy League school that is resisting the EEOC's demand for detailed employee information related to Jewish affiliations.

Gerald Pappert

The U.S. District Judge presiding over the case and who will decide whether to enforce the EEOC's subpoena.

Vic Walczak

An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing several groups, including some specifically Jewish-related, that are concerned about the EEOC's demand for employee information.

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What they’re saying

“We're on the same side as Penn -- we're not opposing an investigation, what we're opposing is the court forcing Penn to create, essentially, lists of participants in Jewish organizations and turning over confidential information, including home addresses.”

— Vic Walczak, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer (seattlepi.com)

“We're concerned about the collection and potential use of the information the government has demanded.”

— Vic Walczak, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer (seattlepi.com)

What’s next

Judge Pappert is expected to rule on whether to enforce the EEOC's subpoena in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the delicate balance between investigating claims of antisemitism and protecting employee privacy and civil liberties. The outcome could set an important precedent for how far government agencies can go in demanding personal information from universities during discrimination probes.