GitHub Fires Employee Who Warned About Nazis

Following the events of January 6th, when supporters of then-President Trump breached the U.S. Capitol building, a GitHub staff member expressed concern for the well-being of colleagues located in the Washington D.C. area.

The employee shared a message on Slack advising others to “stay safe homies, Nazis are about,” according to his account. He stated that a coworker responded negatively, asserting that such language was inappropriate for the workplace. Subsequently, he was dismissed from his position; a representative from human resources reportedly explained the decision as stemming from a “pattern of behavior that is not conducive to company policy.”

In an interview with TechCrunch, the former employee explained that his message was motivated by genuine worry for his coworkers and also for members of his Jewish family.

TechCrunch has agreed to withhold the identity of the terminated employee to protect his safety and the safety of his family.

As Business Insider initially reported, the dismissal prompted internal circulation of a letter requesting that GitHub publicly condemn white supremacy and Nazism, and also seek clarification regarding the reasons for the employee’s termination. This led to GitHub CEO Nat Friedman informing staff that the company would conduct an investigation into the matter.

The terminated employee has indicated he is now consulting with legal counsel to ensure his family’s protection and to explore potential avenues for legal recourse or other forms of resolution. He reports that GitHub has contacted him to assist with their internal investigation, but he is delaying engagement until he has secured legal representation.

However, he expressed skepticism regarding the sincerity of the investigation.

“I am 90% sure it’s not genuine,” the former employee stated regarding Friedman’s response. “Similar situations have occurred previously. The company previously called for discussions but then took action against employees who mentioned ICE. I once had faith in this company, but that is no longer the case.”

Echoing concerns raised by some current employees, the terminated employee believes this situation presents an opportunity for GitHub to clearly define its position on white supremacy.

He articulated, “I believe this could be a chance for GitHub to undertake a thorough review and determine whether it wants to employ individuals who espouse white supremacist views, and how to increase representation of Black leaders within executive management.”

He stated that he had been advocating for greater diversity in leadership since joining GitHub, but that raising these concerns led to threats of termination.

“I was warned about potential dismissal in October when I highlighted the lack of diversity, specifically noting that the sales team included only two people of color, and both of my managers intervened to protect my position,” he said.

Update 1/16: The former GitHub employee has clarified that his earlier statement referred to the sales leadership team, not the entire sales team.

In a general statement provided to TechCrunch regarding the details of this article, a GitHub spokesperson said:

The former employee stated that upon his termination, the company provided him with two paychecks and concluded his employment. He indicated a willingness to consider some form of resolution, such as financial compensation or continued healthcare coverage, though he is not seeking reinstatement. He expressed a desire to see increased employee advocacy within GitHub.

“Ideally, I would like to see GitHub employees empowered to form a union to represent individuals from marginalized communities,” he said.