Labor board requests reinstatement for journalist dismissed due to social media activity

Felicia Sonmez’s Dismissal from The Washington Post Under Scrutiny

The National Labor Relations Board is advocating for the reinstatement and backpay of former Washington Post journalist Felicia Sonmez, who was let go in 2022 after publicly criticizing her colleagues and the paper’s social media policies.

Sonmez faced termination for insubordination, continuing to voice her discontent about fellow reporters online despite repeated warnings from then-editor Sally Buzbee to maintain professionalism. The Washington-Baltimore News Guild has accused the Post of unfair labor practices related to her firing. Recently, briefs were submitted by the NLRB, the Guild, and the Washington Post.

According to NLRB lawyers, “To put it bluntly, the respondents have grown weary of Sonmez’s Twitter activities criticizing the Post’s policies and procedures. They opted to bypass the usual disciplinary measures and terminate her instead.”

In response to Sonmez’s complaint, the Washington Post has argued that her potential return would lead to “unmanageable and unacceptable confusion” and referenced actions that warranted her dismissal as “seven days of turmoil.”

“Sonmez lacks the ‘journalistic integrity’ necessary for our newsroom,” the Post stated, asserting that she should not be reinstated.

The Guild believes her rights under the National Labor Relations Act were violated.

The controversy escalated in June 2022 when Sonmez made a joke that referenced her then-colleague, Dave Weigel. Following this, she didn’t hold back on criticizing her peers, remarking on Twitter, “It’s fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!” Soon after, her public critiques of the Post and its staff drew considerable backlash.

Weigel was suspended for a month without pay for an unrelated incident, even after he deleted a controversial retweet and apologized. He later left The Post to join the startup Semafor.

Meanwhile, Sonmez’s tweets continued, often attacking the paper’s social media policy. She notably targeted a “white” reporter who showed solidarity with the organization amid internal conflict, suggesting that certain reporters shared common characteristics that contributed to their public dismissal of workplace issues.

Despite reminders from Buzbee about treating each other respectfully, Sonmez’s termination followed a week marked by intense social media conflict among staff. The Washington Post has since updated its social media guidelines.

NLRB prosecutors are pressing for Sonmez’s return and backpay; she currently works at Blue Ridge Public Radio. Sonmez has refrained from commenting but mentioned on X, “The decision is now up to the judge.”