Lawsuit or ...: Why Astronomer has not fired HR head Kristin Cabot while CEO Andy Byron resigned
The recent 'Kiss Cam' moment at the
Coldplay concert
in Boston led to the termination of
Astronomer
CEO Andy Byron. Following the incident, Byron resigned from the company. However, the Astronomer's chief people officer
Kristin Cabot
still remains on leave and has not been fired from the company yet. Now questions are surfacing about the Cabot's employment status. A new report by New York Post offer insights about why her employment status has not changed. While
Andy Byron
tendered his resignation following the widespread controversy, Kristin Cabot remains employed by Astronomer. The report delves into potential reasons behind this disparity, suggesting that legal and corporate considerations may be at play.
Why Astronomer has not fired HR head Kristin Cabot
As reported by New York Post, one possible reason could be the different roles both handle at the company. Along with this, some internal polices could also be the reason behind this decision. According to attorneys quoted by the New York Post, firing Cabot outright could expose Astronomer to legal risk. 'In a real-world big company, you can't just fire someone because the headlines are ugly,' one lawyer explained. If Cabot's actions were internally approved or documented, the company may need to follow a formal process before termination.
Another expert believes that while firing Cabot may be legally feasible, but there are chances that Astronomer may be working on an exit deal. 'If you were to look for a picture of 'cause' [for firing] in the dictionary, it would show a picture of the head of HR having a public affair with the CEO,' the attorney told New York Post, but added that severance negotiations could delay public action.
Another attorney Douglas Wigdor suggests that Cabot may have her own version of the events which are not yet made pubic. 'Maybe there's more to the story from her,' he said, pointing out that the viral clip is short and lacks full context.
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Kristin Cabot has deactivated her LinkedIn profile after the incident and has not yet issued any public statement. On the other hand, Byron has resigned from his position as the CEO and has also been removed from Astronomer's leadership page.
Astronomer announces Andy Byron resignation as CEO
Announcing Andy Byron's resignation, Astronomer said in a statement, "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.'
The resignation came less than 24 hours after Astronomer announced Byron and Cabot had been put on leave and that a formal investigation was pending. "Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days," said the company.
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