- The passing of Charlie Kirk has become a hot topic for several companies.
- Some employers are disciplining staff who voiced their opinions online regarding Kirk’s death.
- Companies like Nasdaq and Office Depot have taken action against employees this week.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, various employers are finding themselves in a tricky situation as workers express their personal views about the conservative figure in public.
For these companies, balancing free speech with their corporate values and maintaining a positive work environment is becoming increasingly challenging.
Firms like Microsoft and Delta Air Lines are taking steps against staff members who have posted critical comments about Kirk on social media or even celebrated his passing, which they view as a breach of their company standards.
Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump, was known for promoting conservative ideologies on college campuses and resonated with many young conservatives. However, his remarks about issues like immigration, transgender rights, and feminism have been viewed by many as intolerant and polarizing.
Here’s how different companies are reacting.
Microsoft
Microsoft addressed the situation on social media on Friday, acknowledging negative comments about Kirk from some employees.
They stated: “We’re aware of the sentiments expressed by a small group of our workers regarding recent events. These matters are serious, and we are reviewing each case carefully.”
The company emphasized, “Comments that celebrate violence are unacceptable and don’t reflect our values.”
This announcement followed a tweet from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who criticized Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for claims that some Blizzard employees had been disparaging Kirk.
Office Depot
The ODP Corporation, which owns Office Depot, issued an apology on Friday following a viral video showing an employee in a Michigan location refusing to print a poster for a vigil connected to Kirk.
They acknowledged that “this behavior is entirely unacceptable and insensitive; it goes against our company policies and does not reflect our values at Office Depot. We sincerely apologize for this regrettable occurrence,” a representative stated in a press release.
Following the incident, the company terminated the employee involved.
They are undertaking an internal review of the matter and stated, “The individual involved is no longer part of our team.” The company is committed to thoroughly investigating the issue and will take appropriate action.
Nasdaq
On the same day, Nasdaq reported that they fired an employee over comments made about Kirk, citing a violation of their policies.
“We are aware of the social media posts from an employee regarding the shooting incident with Charlie Kirk, constituting a clear breach of our guidelines. Nasdaq upholds a zero-tolerance policy toward violence and any commentary that endorses or glorifies it,” they communicated on X. “The offending employee has been terminated, effective immediately.”
MSNBC
Political analyst Matthew Dowd faced backlash online for his comments about Kirk during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Katy Tur Reports” program on Wednesday.
MSNBC’s president, Rebecca Kutler, later labeled Dowd’s comments as “insensitive” in a tweet.
“During our breaking coverage of Kirk’s shooting, Dowd’s remarks were inappropriate, disrespectful, and not acceptable,” she stated. “We apologize for his comments, and so does he. There’s no place for violence in America, be it political or otherwise.”
Dowd later confirmed in a Substack post that he had been let go by MSNBC.
“The right-wing media mob stirred the pot and came after me across multiple platforms, leading MSNBC to react,” he recounted. “Despite most at MSNBC knowing my statements were being misrepresented, my firing was finalized that same day.”
Comcast and Versant executives sent out messages to employees prompting them to “treat everyone with kindness” on Friday. Comcast, which owns MSNBC, highlighted this in a memo released by the company.
“Whether or not you agree with someone’s political stance, his actions and words emphasize the need for a respectful exchange of views — a fundamental principle we must uphold,” the memo stated.
They urged employees to integrate these values into their work and community interactions, saying: “We should engage in a respectful manner, listen attentively, and demonstrate kindness to one another.”
Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie, a law firm already at odds with the Trump administration, joined the fray as well.
The firm terminated a lawyer whose remarks about Kirk on social media attracted attention, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal.
The law firm expressed, “This does not represent who we are, and we have parted ways with this individual.”
The Carolina Panthers
On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers responded to comments made by a staff member, stating on X, “What our employees think is their own business and does not reflect the Panthers’ views.”
“We do not condone violence in any form. We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness and have discussed it with the individual involved,” the update said.
Sources reported that the organization’s public relations employee was terminated in light of these comments about Kirk.
Delta Air Lines
Delta has put several employees on suspension over their posts related to Kirk, as detailed by an internal memo obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
This memo highlighted that the posts “far exceeded healthy and respectful discourse,” as outlined by Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian. He added, “Breaching our social media guidelines can lead to significant consequences, including termination.”
This is an ongoing story. Stay tuned for further updates. Business Insider has reached out to the companies mentioned for their comments.
