The US Government has sued two Ohio healthcare firms, alleging that a Jewish orthopaedic surgeon was subjected to antisemitic harassment and ultimately dismissed because of his religion.
The lawsuit was brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Mercy Health Physicians Youngstown LLC and its parent company, Bon Secours Mercy Health Inc., accusing the providers of violating federal employment law by discriminating against the surgeon because of his religion and race.
The case was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and concerns the dismissal of Dr Ian Walton, whose name has been reported by several media outlets in connection with the case.
According to the EEOC, Walton had worked for Mercy for years and was a high-performing surgeon who exceeded the organisation’s productivity targets.
While his Jewish identity was reportedly well known among colleagues, the agency alleges that he was subjected to antisemitic comments during his employment. These comments worsened significantly after October 7, the suit alleges.
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said Walton was subjected to repeated workplace comments blaming Jews for the attack.
“After years of antisemitic harassment…the charging party faced a barrage of comments in the workplace blaming ‘the Jews’ for the attack,” Lucas alleged.
She added that Walton was “also excluded from scheduled meetings and had his surgery time blocks reduced”.
“Shortly thereafter, he was terminated and told it was for ‘no reason,’” she claimed.
Walton was dismissed in November 2023. The agency alleges that Mercy told him his termination was not connected to his work performance.
The agency argues that the alleged treatment amounted to discrimination prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars employers from discriminating against workers on the basis of religion or race.
The EEOC alleges that Mercy’s conduct did not consist solely of offensive comments but affected the surgeon’s ability to carry out his work, including through changes to his schedule and exclusion from professional meetings.
The agency attempted to resolve the matter before going to court through its administrative conciliation process. That effort did not result in a settlement, leading to the federal lawsuit.
“The EEOC will not hesitate to bring litigation to protect Jewish workers from unlawful discrimination,” Lucas said, adding: “Antisemitism has no place in the American workplace.”
Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Philadelphia District, said federal law protects employees from discrimination based on religion or race across employment decisions, including firing, job assignments and other conditions of work.
The federal government did not immediately take the case to court. The EEOC said it first attempted to resolve the allegations through its administrative conciliation process, but no settlement was reached.
The EEOC has not said that the allegations have been proven. The lawsuit represents the federal agency’s claims, and Mercy Health and Bon Secours Mercy Health will have the opportunity to respond in court.
The EEOC has separately pursued a number of religious discrimination cases in recent years. Its own records show that the agency has made religious discrimination enforcement a significant part of its work, including cases involving alleged antisemitism.
The lawsuit was announced by the EEOC on September 24, 2026, and comes nearly three years after Walton was dismissed.
A spokesperson for Bon Secours Mercy Health told the JC: “As a Catholic ministry, our Mission and values guide everything we do.
“We welcome individuals of all faiths and backgrounds who help us advance our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our communities.
“No further information will be provided as we do not discuss pending litigation.”
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