The U.S. agency that enforces laws banning workplace discrimination said in a court filing Wednesday it is investigating Nike for allegedly discriminating against white people through its diversity policies.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in the filing that Nike has refused to comply with a sprawling subpoena seeking information such as data on the racial and ethnic makeup of the company's workforce and a roster of employees chosen for mentoring and development programs.

The commission said it is investigating allegations that Nike intentionally discriminated against white employees and job applicants, including by disproportionately targeting them for layoffs, and that it needed the information to determine whether Nike violated the law.