X has backed a lawsuit against Block, a company established by Twitter’s founder, Jack Dorsey. The lawsuit, lodged by Chloe Happe, a former employee of Block, alleges unjust dismissal instigated by two posts she made on a “satirical, pseudonymous account” hosted by X and during non-working hours.
We obtained a copy of the draft complaint for you here.
Happe’s posts covered a range of topics. An initial comment pointed to the displacement of refugees from Gaza to Kurdistan after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Subsequently, she shared contentious views on transgender individuals, concerning the use of a “gender-neutral” restroom in the office. Regardless, Happe fervently maintained that her posts, untouched by workplace suggestion and shorn of any direct mention of Block, were purely satirical expressions of her personal beliefs.
Happe also declared her posts were deleted soon after they were published. Despite this, Happe asserts Block acquired copies of the posts and gave her no indication whether fellow employees raised grievances over her commentary. As a result, Happe, fraught with concern over becoming a scapegoat, initially renounced any association with the posts.
As per Happe’s presentation in court, she asserts her dismissal by Block, without severance pay, was solely due to the company disliking her personal viewpoints. She also regards Block as breaching their own policies that supposedly allow employees to voice their opinions openly.
Elon Musk retweeted X’s proclamation on his account, endorsing X’s support of Happe’s lawsuit to defend the “right to freedom of speech.”
Through her lawsuit, Happe seeks not only financial restitution for lost wages and punitive damages, but also a court decree to reinstate her as a Block employee.
