Former Ethereum Foundation employee Kayleen Fulton sued the foundation and several individuals, including Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, alleging she was fired for objecting to a new employee policy.
According to the complaint cited by The Block, Fulton filed suit on November 4 in Colorado against the Ethereum Foundation, its affiliated organization in Singapore, executive Bastian Aue, and Buterin. Fulton argues that her April 6 termination was connected to her objection to the foundation’s new policy.
What did employees object to?
The policy, published by the foundation on March 13, set out principles of censorship resistance, open source, privacy, and security. At the center of the dispute was a reference to seppuku in the pledge of allegiance employees were asked to make. The complaint also says Aue told employees the expression should not be taken literally.
According to the complaint, employees were given the choice of accepting the direction set out in the policy or leaving the foundation. Fulton and her colleague Trent Van Epps drafted a letter supporting the foundation’s general direction while objecting to some conditions. The letter gathered 53 signatures. Fulton alleges that she and Van Epps were fired for raising these objections.
Fulton seeks lost wages and damages
Fulton also alleges that she was discriminated against based on disability when she informed the foundation of her cancer diagnosis, and that her right to medical leave was interfered with. The complaint states that, in a May 1 meeting, Buterin said that acting on the objections could encourage employees to influence the foundation’s decisions in this way.
Fulton says she was offered one year’s salary under a separation agreement, but signed it under pressure, received no payment, and later withdrew from the agreement. The lawsuit seeks lost wages and unspecified damages. The Block reported that it had not received a response from the Ethereum Foundation or Fulton before publication.
Not investment advice.