Citigroup Fires Employee for Antisemitic Social Media Post | Nov 2023
November 2023 | Volume 15, Issue 4
Read the full article on CBSNews.com
According to the article, Citigroup has fired an employee for posting an antisemitic comment on social media.
The bank had said it was looking into the matter after a worker's post was screenshotted and posted on the social media website X by the group Stop Antisemitism.
Citigroup’s Statement
"We terminated the employment of the person who posted the revolting antisemitic comment on social media. We condemn antisemitism and all hate speech and do not tolerate it in our bank," a Citi spokesperson stated in an email.
Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser referenced the bank's presence and workers in Israel in an earnings call last week, saying "we are a significant bank in the country" and that many of its employees were being called for military service.
Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have died since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. In the aftermath of the attack, tensions have flared in the U.S., including alleged crimes committed against both the Jewish and Muslim communities.
The Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League tallied 3,697 incidents involving antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault in the U.S. last year, the highest in number since the ADL began tracking in 1979.
A national poll recently released by the ADL and the University of Chicago found about 10 million American adults hold both high levels of antisemitism and support for political violence. "This population is also higher than the total number of Jews in the United States," the ADL said.
Discussion Questions
- Explain the employment-at-will doctrine and how it might be relevant to this case
In the United States, at-will employment refers to an employer’s ability to dismiss an employee for any reason (i.e., without having to establish “just cause” for termination) and without warning, if the reason is not illegal (e.g., firing the employee because of their gender, race, religion, or disability). When an employee is “at will,” courts deny the employee any claim for loss resulting from the dismissal. The rule is justified by its proponents since any employee may be similarly entitled to leave their job without reason or warning. The employment-at-will doctrine is seen as unjust by those who view the employment relationship as characterized by unequal bargaining power.
The employment-at-will doctrine is relevant to this case because the employer had a reason for the termination. If an employer can dismiss an employee for any reason, then firing the employee for posting an antisemitic comment on social media would qualify as a justifiable (i.e., legal) reason. - Discuss the extent to which employers are justified in terminating employees for posting inappropriate comments on social media
Employers contend that they are justified in terminating employees for posting inappropriate comments on social media, since doing so is a clear indication that the statement of the terminated employee was not a reflection of the views and opinions of the employer. Employers argue that monitoring the social media statements of employees posted both during and outside of work is important, since an employee could be interpreted by social media readers/viewers as a representative of the employer. - Describe the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
According to the organization itself:
“ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is to ‘stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.’ Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism, and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.”
For more information regarding this organization, please see its website referenced in “Teaching Tip 1” of this newsletter.