Former Twitter Security Chief Sues X for Wrongful Termination and Retaliation

When large companies prioritize profits above all else, worker rights often fall by the wayside. A recent lawsuit centers on an employee’s alleged wrongful termination amid employer decisions driven by financial motives. A former Twitter security executive claimed he suffered retaliation for taking a stand against corporate practices that he believed were unlawful. 

Alan Rosa filed a complaint against X, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation. He served as Twitter’s global head of security, information technology and privacy. At the time of his employment, Rosa oversaw a team of 500 workers in California and across the United States.

Rosa was allegedly fired in retaliation for voicing his concerns about the company’s cost-cutting measures. According to the lawsuit, the employer allegedly violated several employment laws, including California labor laws.

Rosa found himself at the center of a corporate restructuring following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the social media platform, now rebranded as X. The lawsuit also named company advisor Steve Davis, who Musk appointed to help run the company.

As the dust from the transition settled, Rosa raised concerns about immediate cost-cutting actions and changes to work policies implemented by X. The security chief alleged that Davis started getting rid of Twitter products and services that helped ensure the company’s compliance with various regulations of the Federal Trade Commission and other agencies. 

According to the lawsuit, Rosa protested Musk’s new directives which included limiting security programs and getting rid of crucial software. Davis allegedly gave Rosa just a few hours to reduce X’s physical security budget by 50 percent, a task that required multiple days to carry out properly.

Additionally, Rosa believed that significant budget cuts to physical security posed a “substantial” threat to public safety. It would also place additional pressure on workers responsible for preserving data that may be requested by law enforcement. 

The lawsuit said that Rosa took his concerns to X’s legal department. Five days after complaining about the cuts to the company’s physical security budget, he was fired.

Rosa believed he was fired in an “unexplainable fashion” because he had not engaged in any wrongdoing “that would justify his termination.” He claimed that X launched a “sham investigation” into his workplace conduct to avoid giving him his severance package. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified compensatory damages and punitive damages.

Under California law, workers have a right to report things at work that they believe may violate the law. They also have the right to bring a complaint about the matter in good faith. Firing an employee who exercises this right may qualify as retaliation, as alleged in Rosa’s case.

While California law allows employers to fire workers for any reason or no reason at all, they cannot be fired based on illegal reasons. As a result, terminating an employee in retaliation for their complaint about potential wrongdoing in the workplace is unlawful.

Losing your job suddenly can be distressing, especially if you were fired based on illegal reasons. However, determining whether your employer’s actions against you were unlawful is not always straightforward. Even if your firing seems unfair, it may not necessarily be wrongful.

If you suspect you have suffered wrongful termination, reach out to the experienced San Francisco employment lawyers at McCormack Law Firm. We will listen to what happened and help you determine if you have a wrongful termination claim against your employer. Our law firm is dedicated to protecting worker rights and holding employers accountable. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case.