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Former Ethereum Foundation staffer sues the foundation and Vitalik Buterin over her firing
Summary
Kayleen Fulton, who led the Ethereum Foundation's protocol support team, has sued the foundation, co-founder Vitalik Buterin and four others in federal court in Colorado, The Block and Cointelegraph reported.
The complaint, filed Nov. 4, alleges discrimination and retaliation; Cointelegraph said Fulton claims she was fired on April 6, 13 days after disclosing a cancer diagnosis and days after co-organizing a staff letter objecting to a requirement that employees affirm the foundation's new mandate.
The Block said the complaint cites a recorded conversation with Buterin, and Cointelegraph said it alleges he helped adopt and enforce the directive as a board member.
A lawyer for the foundation's Singapore affiliate denied any unlawful conduct or retaliation in a May letter quoted in the complaint, according to Cointelegraph; these are allegations that have not been tested in court.
Key facts
- Cointelegraph: Fulton is known in the Ethereum community as "Nixo" and alleges then co-executive director Bastian Aue fired her and colleague Trent Van Epps 30 minutes apart.
- Cointelegraph: the staff letter had 53 signers and backed the mandate's goals while objecting to having to affirm it to keep their jobs.
- Cointelegraph: the complaint says some employees objected to a reference to ritual suicide in the mandate, and quotes Aue telling staff the language was figurative; The Block's headline describes it as a 'suicide pledge' dispute.
- Cointelegraph: Fulton alleges disability discrimination, retaliation and interference with medical leave rights and seeks lost pay and damages.
- Cointelegraph: the foundation, Fulton and Van Epps had not responded to requests for comment by publication.
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