A former Intel employee has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, claiming he was wrongfully terminated after reporting antisemitic behavior by his supervisor. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, accuses Intel of retaliating against the plaintiff, who is using the pseudonym John Doe, after he voiced concerns about his ex-supervisor’s alleged antisemitic actions.
Allegations of Antisemitism and Retaliation
John Doe, a former vice president of engineering at Intel, claims that he was assigned to report to Alaa Badr, Intel’s vice president of customer success, just two months before his termination on April 2. Doe alleges that Badr, who is of Egyptian origin, openly celebrated antisemitism, supported Hamas, and endorsed terrorism against Israel through social media interactions. According to the lawsuit, Badr retweeted and “liked” posts that cheered the deaths of Israelis and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers.
Doe, a former IDF soldier himself, expressed his discomfort with working under Badr, citing these online activities. He also reported that Badr inquired about the number of Israeli employees at Intel and expressed dissatisfaction with their presence in the company. Despite raising these concerns, Doe claims he was fired in what Intel described as a cost-cutting move.
Intel’s Response
Intel has declined to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, stating that it does not discuss pending litigation. However, the company emphasized its commitment to diversity and inclusion, stating, “We have a longtime culture of diversity and inclusion and we do not tolerate hate speech.”
Badr, along with his supervisor, has been named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Legal Action and Seeking Anonymity
John Doe is seeking to recover lost wages and damages for violations of federal civil rights laws and New York state and city human rights laws. He is also requesting permission to proceed anonymously in the lawsuit, citing concerns that his IDF background and involvement in this case could expose him to harassment, threats, and even physical violence.
The lawsuit also references Intel’s strong historical ties to Israel and the Jewish community. Intel’s first hire was Andrew Grove, a Hungarian-born Jew who went on to become the company’s chief executive and was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year.
The case, titled “Doe v Intel Corp et al”, is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.