Arbitrator Orders WaPo to Reinstate Columnist Karen Attiah

Karen Attiah is heading back to The Washington Post. An independent arbitrator ruled Monday that the newspaper wrongly fired her last year over social media posts she made after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Arbitrator Sarah Miller Espinosa said the Post did not have "good and sufficient cause" to terminate Attiah's employment. The ruling orders the paper to reinstate her with full backpay and lost benefits.

Attiah, who had been at the Post for 11 years, was dismissed in the fall after two posts on Bluesky. The company's termination letter said the posts disparaged white men based on race and gender, violating its social media policy. Attiah has maintained she was doing her job as an opinion journalist.

"This decision confirms what we've said from the start: I was doing my job as an opinion journalist, and doing that job is not misconduct," Attiah said in a statement. She added that she is "relieved to finally have that record set straight."

Espinosa's ruling found it "not reasonable to conclude" that Attiah's posts disparaged all white men or any particular white man on the basis of race or gender. "Recognizing the race and gender of individuals does not, in and of itself, constitute disparagement on the basis of race or gender," the arbitrator wrote.

The ruling also noted that Attiah had not been previously disciplined and that the Post failed to apply progressive discipline before firing her. That meant the company had to prove "gross misconduct." Espinosa called the termination "absolutely disproportional."

A Washington Post spokesperson said the company respects the arbitration process and had no further comment.