The Coldplay concert cheating scandal has put Astronomer in the spotlight, with mounting attention on CEO Andy Byron's resignation and the unresolved status of HR Chief Kristin Cabot. The key issue now: Why is Cabot still employed days after the CEO's swift exit?
A week after allegedly being caught with CEO Byron at the concert, Cabot remains with Astronomer, merely on leave—unlike Byron, who was quickly forced out. Why hasn't the company acted? Insiders suggest legal concerns may play a role.
Legal experts said that it is not easy to take action against an employee because of "ugly headlines". Meanwhile, employment lawyers narrowed down any possibilities of Cabot making a legal move against Astronomer on sexual harrasment case or similar claims.
"In a real-world big company, you can't just fire someone because the headlines are ugly. There are likely contracts, internal investigations, and legal issues involved. If HR greenlit what happened with Coldplay, and there is a supporting paper trail, heads will likely roll. It just might take a few more days before the axe drops," New York Post quoted attorney Nicole Brenecki.
Can Kristin Cabot Sue Astronomer?
Brenecki said Cabot might not come forward with sexual harassment claims because the legal suit could be stressful. According to him, the jury might laugh it out of court because being embarrassed on a jumbotron is different from being harassed at work.
"She'd have to demonstrate their relationship was unwanted, and I think based on what I've seen, it would be difficult," attorney Douglas Wigdor echoed the sentiments.
Cabot took charge as the Chief People Officer of Astronomer in November 2014. She became part of a viral public scandal after Coldplay frontman Chris Martin called her and Byron on the jumbotron during the show at Gillette Stadium outside Boston. The firm earlier publicly confirmed that an investigation is underway.
"The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter. The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team, and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name," Pete DeJoy, the company's co-founder, stated in a LinkedIn post.
