Elon Musk's X is funding a lawsuit against Jack Dorsey's company, Block, after allegations from a former employee, Chloe Happe.
Happe claims she was dismissed for expressing political opinions via pseudonymous (writing under a false name) accounts on the social media platform.
The lawsuit centers on two specific instances: one post where Happe posed as a Kurdish citizen commenting on refugees from Gaza.
In another, she posted derogatory remarks against trans people concerning gender-neutral restrooms.
Happe argues her dismissal was against Block's policy on employee free speech.
The lawsuit claims: “Block’s own policies did not prohibit, and expressly allowed, its employees to engage in speech like the posts that Block referenced as grounds for terminating Happe.
“Happe’s posts were not on Slack, nor were they directed at any employee of Block.”
Happe said she “voluntarily deleted” the posts shortly after publishing them.
X alleges Block terminated her employment due to her political views not aligning with a certain political orthodoxy, thus infringing on her legal rights.
Block has yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit's claims.
The conflict reportedly escalated when Block's HR department confronted Happe with the posts.
She denied authorship, suggesting an ex-partner might have impersonated her online to avoid repercussions.
Block considered her denial in its decision to fire her three weeks later.
Happe is looking for reinstatement and compensation for her lost wages.