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The National Labor Relations Board is advocating for the reinstatement and financial compensation for Felicia Sonmez, a former reporter for the Washington Post who was terminated in 2022 after expressing criticisms of her colleagues on social media.
Sonmez’s firing stemmed from allegations of insubordination. Despite multiple reminders from the then-executive editor, Sally Buzbee, urging a professional and respectful workplace, Sonmez continued to publicly criticize her peers online. This led the Washington-Baltimore News Guild to file a charge of unfair labor practices regarding her dismissal. Recently, briefs from the NLRB, the Guild, and the Washington Post were submitted.
The NLRB accuses the Post of having grown weary of Sonmez’s social media activity where she voiced strong critiques of the company’s policies. Prosecutors for the NLRB stated that the Washington Post decided to circumvent its disciplinary process and dismiss Sonmez due to her outspoken nature on social media.
In contrast, the Washington Post has argued for the dismissal of the complaint, asserting that Sonmez’s return would lead to considerable disruption and described her actions as a lengthy and damaging tirade over the course of several days.
The Post contended that Sonmez does not possess the necessary journalistic integrity to rejoin their newsroom, questioning her capability to adhere to the standards expected at the newspaper.
The Washington-Baltimore News Guild maintains that her rights were violated under the National Labor Relations Act. This dispute began in June 2022, after Sonmez publicly confronted then-colleague Dave Weigel. He had retweeted a joke that Sonmez found offensive, leading her to voice her disagreement on social media and criticize the newspaper.
The situation escalated as Sonmez launched into a public critique of both the Post and her colleagues, demonstrating her frustration with the internal culture of the workplace.
Weigel eventually faced a month-long unpaid suspension, even after he removed the retweet and apologized. Shortly after, he left the Post to begin a new role at the startup news outlet Semafor.
Despite Weigel’s departure, Sonmez’s online criticisms persisted, prompting backlash from fellow reporters at the Washington Post who began expressing their dissent toward her public comments.
Throughout the ensuing chaos, Sonmez also took issue with the newspaper’s social media guidelines, targeting reporters who expressed solidarity with the publication during these internal conflicts.
In a lengthy Twitter thread, she remarked on the demographics of the colleagues who criticized her, stating she was unsure of the identities of those disparaging her but inferred a commonality among them, suggesting they were predominantly White.
The situation prompted a firm reminder from Buzbee to staff members to maintain mutual respect, but efforts to promote civility seemed to falter amid escalating tensions.
After a turbulent week of open disputes between co-workers, Sonmez was ultimately terminated from her position. The Washington Post subsequently revised its social media policy in response to the public fallout.
The NLRB continues to seek Sonmez’s reinstatement and back pay; she currently holds a position with Blue Ridge Public Radio. Sonmez, when approached for comments regarding the developments, opted to remain silent.
She publicly remarked via social media that the decision regarding her reinstatement is now in the judge’s hands. The Washington Post has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding this ongoing issue.
Contributions for this report were made by Joseph A. Wulfsohn from Fox News Digital.
