The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case into Citizens Advice after the charity received a complaint about some employees’ Palestine-related activism.

The regulator said it was engaging with trustees after the charity received a complaint from UK Lawyers for Israel, alleging that some staff were taking part in political activism in the workplace.

UKLFI’s complaint, seen by Third Sector, alleges that some Citizens Advice staff have been engaging in political campaigning outside of the organisation’s charitable objects.

The legal organisation’s complaint says that employees had been sent a letter via their work emails that called for Citizens Advice to end the purchase of all Hewlett Packard equipment. The complaint says the email included a petition from the Palestinian civil society coalition, the BDS National Committee, calling for an HP product boycott.

The complaint also alleges that one employee’s social media, which mentions their role at Citizens Advice, included a profile picture of the employee holding a sign that read: “Charity Workers for Palestine.”

UKLFI’s complaint also says that some staff were displaying the Palestinian flag on their backgrounds during remote work meetings, wearing lanyards that display the flag and that on an internal Citizens Advice Facebook page, an employee invited staff to a “solidarity and support” lunch last year, shortly after the conflict in Gaza escalated.

The complaint says these actions imply that Citizens Advice has “adopted the Palestinian political cause” and breaches Charity Commission guidance on political campaigning outside of organisations’ charitable objects.

UKLFI also argues that the actions “serve to stir up racial hatred against Jewish colleagues and others”, saying that this constitutes a breach of the Equality Act 2010 by creating a “hostile” working environment.

The complaint calls for an investigation of the allegations and asks the charity to discipline the employees involved.

In a response to UKLFI’s complaint, seen by Third Sector, Citizens Advice’s chief executive Clare Moriarity said the charity “will consider the matters you raise and whether any steps need to be taken as a result”.

She said: “This will, as you will appreciate, be an internal matter for the charity.”

Moriarty told UKLFI that the charity “takes inclusion and the prevention of prejudice and discrimination very seriously”, adding that the charity “does not adopt a corporate position on the war in Gaza or engage in political activities that are not intended to further its objects”.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: “Concerns have been raised with us over alleged actions by staff at The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. 

“We have opened a regulatory compliance case to allow us to engage with the charity’s trustees and gather more information.”

Citizens Advice confirmed that it was in contact with the regulator, but said it could not comment further due to it being an internal matter.

A  spokesperson for Citizens Advice said: “We want to be a service where everyone is comfortable coming to us for help, and a workplace where everyone feels they belong. 

“As an impartial and independent organisation, we take allegations of prejudice and discrimination very seriously. This is reflected in the way we operate, including the steps we take to consider internal issues like those raised.”

The spokesperson said the charity continually reviews and revises its equity and inclusion practice to ensure it upholds its own values in its work.

“Recognising that people will hold their own personal opinions, we work hard to ensure workplace behaviours and discussions adhere to our internal policies and align with our organisational purpose and values,” they said.