GitHub admits „big mistakes” were made in firing a Jewish employee

GitHub admits to accidentally firing a Jewish employee and offers him his job again. The news comes after the company hired an independent law firm to investigate the termination, and found that „major mistakes” were made. The company’s chief human resources officer, Carrie Olison, has also resigned.

GitHub CEO Nat Friedman wrote in an internal letter to staff on January 16: „Yesterday evening, the investigation came to the conclusion that significant mistakes were made that are inconsistent with our internal practices or the judgment we expect of our leaders.” He said the company would be issued Public apologies to her blog this weekend.

In this post, GitHub Operations Director Erica Brescia said: „To the employee we would like to say publicly: We sincerely apologize.”

The controversial shooting came just two days after the employee warned colleagues in Washington, D.C. to stay safe from the Nazis – The news I report for the first time Interested in the business. The message was sent on January 6th, the day of the uprising in Washington, DC, as rioters linked to neo-Nazi organizations stormed the Capitol.

The warning drew criticism from a colleague who misused the word „Nazi” and prompted GitHub’s human resources team to reprimand the Jewish employee. Two days later, he was fired.

In the wake of the termination, nearly 200 of GitHub’s 1,700 employees signed an open letter requesting an explanation of the reason for the abandonment. Workers also began to use the word „Nazi” frequently in Slack, To describe the rioters in the capital.

An engineer wrote on Slack: “Others have already said it, but I just want to say it myself – I think the Nazis were present at some of the protests on January 6, and it’s very frightening to see these ideas on display.” “100% of the Nazis were there, and 1,000,000,000% of the Nazis are scary like damn and don’t belong anywhere. Especially in GitHub!” Another replied.

In his memo to employees this weekend, Friedman stressed that employees (whom the company calls „goldsmiths”) are allowed to speak out about their concerns about white supremacy. He wrote, „Hubbers is free to voice his concerns about neo-Nazis, anti-Semitism, white supremacy or any other form of discrimination or harassment.” „Of course, we expect Hubbers to be respectful and professional, and to follow GitHub’s policies on discrimination and harassment at all times.”