The Washington Post reinstated columnist Karen Attiah after an arbitration order. The paper must provide her with back pay following her challenge to last year’s dismissal.
Attiah shared her joy on social media with a video of her dancing to Rihanna. She expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating, “POV: Channeling my inner Rihanna because I won my case against the @washingtonpost — and they owe me a year’s worth of back pay.”
In August, an arbitrator found that The Washington Post lacked a valid reason for termination and violated Attiah’s labor agreement. This decision followed posts Attiah made about Charlie Kirk after his assassination.
“I’m happy I have been vindicated and ordered reinstated with back pay,” Attiah told Fox News Digital. She celebrated publicly to encourage other journalists to speak truthfully without fear.
Despite the order, Attiah’s formal return remains uncertain. The Washington Post respects the process but declined further comment.
The controversy began with Attiah’s posts about Kirk on the social media platform Bluesky. She refused to engage in performative mourning for Kirk, stating, “Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a White man that espoused violence is… not the same as violence.” Her comments and subsequent misquoting of Kirk sparked significant backlash.
Kirk’s actual comments on his show pointed out that the debate over affirmative action implied certain figures, including Michelle Obama and others, were beneficiaries. This highlighted a broader discussion on race and academia.
Attiah was initially terminated for “unacceptable” posts, termed as “gross misconduct.” This led her to file a legal challenge, resulting in arbitration.
For more information, Joseph A. Wulfsohn, a media reporter for Fox News Digital, can be contacted with story tips.