The Washington Post will rehire opinion writer Karen Attiah following an arbitration ruling on her dismissal. The ruling invalidated the decision to fire Attiah over comments she made on social media after Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
The ruling, issued last Thursday, said the newspaper did not have “good and sufficient cause” to terminate Attiah’s employment contract. Arbitrator Sarah Miller Espinosa wrote that the Washington Post had failed to prove Attiah committed serious misconduct and had therefore breached her employment contract.

Attiah’s challenge to her dismissal upheld
Attiah was fired last September. Challenging the newspaper’s dismissal decision under her employment contract, Attiah argued that her social media posts were part of her work as an opinion writer. She also said the Washington Post had violated its own social media policy.
The arbitration ruling ordered Attiah’s immediate reinstatement and the payment of back wages.
Newspaper argued that the posts damaged its reputation
The Washington Post had said Attiah’s comments damaged the newspaper’s “reputation” and violated standards requiring employees to show courtesy and respect on social media.
Attiah’s posts were made on Sept. 10, the day Kirk was assassinated. In a post on Bluesky, Attiah said Kirk advocated violence and said she refused to engage in ostentatious mourning following his death.
Attiah said she welcomed the arbitration ruling. Saying she had won the case she brought against the Washington Post, Attiah said the decision called for her immediate reinstatement.