US firms discipline employees over posts on Charlie Kirk's death
What's the story
Following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, several companies in the US are grappling with a tricky situation: their employees publicly voicing personal opinions about Kirk. Major corporations like Microsoft and Delta Air Lines are reviewing cases of employees who have made social media posts critical of Kirk's views or celebrating his death, with some facing disciplinary action. Kirk (31) was fatally shot during a public event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Corporate response
Microsoft's response to the situation
In light of some employees' negative remarks about Kirk on social media, Microsoft issued a statement saying, "We're aware of the views expressed by a small subset of our employees regarding recent events." The company said it is reviewing each individual situation and stressed that "comments celebrating violence against anyone are unacceptable and do not align with our values."
Disciplinary action
Office Depot's actions following the incident
The ODP Corporation, parent company of Office Depot, has apologized to consumers after a Michigan-based employee was seen refusing to print a poster for Kirk's vigil. The company said the behavior displayed by its associate is "completely unacceptable and insensitive," violating company policies. The involved employee has been fired and an internal review is underway at Office Depot.
Policy breach
Nasdaq's swift action
Nasdaq has fired an employee for their remarks about Kirk, which were a clear violation of the company's policy. The company said it has a zero-tolerance policy toward violence and any commentary that condones or celebrates violence. "The employee in question has been terminated, effective immediately," Nasdaq said in its statement on X.
Analyst termination
Matthew Dowd's termination from MSNBC
Political analyst Matthew Dowd was widely criticized for his remarks about Kirk on MSNBC's 'Katy Tur Reports.' In response, MSNBC executive Rebecca Kutler called Dowd's comments "insensitive" and issued an apology. Dowd confirmed his termination in a Substack article, saying he was let go after the right-wing media mob went after him on various platforms.