Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker • Hacker News Board

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#21

Post by nashadelic » Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 11:01 PM UTC

fhdkweig wrote: post #8

exabrial wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Atlassian said it planned to appeal the ruling, however. I think it'd be cheaper to keep her at this point. I'd tell your lawyer's egos to take a chill pill.

I am not a lawyer, but if they don't appeal and win, it will set a precedent that they'd (and other companies) have to pay out on any other employees fired for this reason. That will cost them more in the long run.

It’s depressing how the tech ecosystem works as a self-reinforcing cartel against workers for statusquo preservation. Yes, it’s rational from the tech industry as a whole’s POV, there’s little to no chance a single individual can really stand against such machinery

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#22

Post by theamk » Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 11:06 PM UTC

https://archive.is/YkrVy

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#23

Post by IcyWindows » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 12:16 AM UTC

nashadelic wrote: post #21

fhdkweig wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not a lawyer, but if they don't appeal and win, it will set a precedent that they'd (and other companies) have to pay out on any other employees fired for this reason. That will cost them more in the long run.

It’s depressing how the tech ecosystem works as a self-reinforcing cartel against workers for statusquo preservation. Yes, it’s rational from the tech industry as a whole’s POV, there’s little to no chance a single individual can really stand against such machinery

Each side has incredible freedom. There are downsides to them.

Employees can take up a huge amount of resources and then leave before costs are recovered.

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#24

Post by matchbok3 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 12:51 AM UTC

matchbok3 wrote: post #14

[flagged]

Love the downvotes :(

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#25

Post by calderarrow » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:08 AM UTC

matchbok3 wrote: post #24

matchbok3 wrote: post #14

[flagged]

Love the downvotes :(

> Court rules employee has the right to make the comments she made

Random HN comment:

> her comments were unprofessional and she has no right to distract the company.

Same User:

> y Downvote :(

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#26

Post by matchbok3 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:08 AM UTC

Dylan16807 wrote: post #6

hobonation wrote: post #5

[flagged]

Making comments against layoffs is "activist" "drama" now? If you don't want to be a "victim" here simply don't fire people for making those comments.

I mean... yes? A company pays you to work. If you are using company resources, during company time, to attack your company... why exactly would they keep you employees? She was warned multiple times. It's quite amazing this court let this happen at all.

If an employee of yours spent hours every day attacking you.... would you keep them employed? Why not?

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#27

Post by matchbok3 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:09 AM UTC

calderarrow wrote: post #25

matchbok3 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Love the downvotes :(

> Court rules employee has the right to make the comments she made Random HN comment: > her comments were unprofessional and she has no right to distract the company. Same User: > y Downvote :(

If an employee of yours spent hours every day attacking you.... would you keep them employed? Why not?

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#28

Post by tzs » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:10 AM UTC

arcbyte wrote: post #17

gruez wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trial courts can't set precedents. Only appellate courts can.

That's not really true at all. You just think that because you never hear about it. Stare decisis still applies at a trial level, but its scope is obviously much narrower. Moreover, most things really aren't that novel. Most importantly, its quite hard to research on this level and usually pointless because theres usually a higher level case anyway.

It is just persuasive precedent so any other court, or even the same court when dealing with case involving different parties, can ignore it.

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#29

Post by hendersoon » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 2:06 AM UTC

Atlassian was extremely foolish. Obviously you want to fire someone who makes unprofessional comments like that on the company Slack, but you don't explicitly fire them for that, you find some other defensible reason to do it.

Re: Software Engineer's Firing Ruled Illegal in a Rare Win for a Tech Worker

#30

Post by AlotOfReading » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 2:10 AM UTC

matchbok3 wrote: post #27

calderarrow wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Court rules employee has the right to make the comments she made Random HN comment: > her comments were unprofessional and she has no right to distract the company. Same User: > y Downvote :(

If an employee of yours spent hours every day attacking you.... would you keep them employed? Why not?

Come on. Her comment was

   "What’s up Outragers, just dialing in from my NBA team’s headquarters to yell at the people whose careers I’ve just pummeled"

In a water cooler channel, while the CEO was calling in from his NBA team headquarters to announce layoffs...

It's mildly dramatized, bordering on milquetoast satire of exactly what he was doing.