If the retention of the employee is seen as a liability, then that's it, he's out.
Very unfair from employees perspective, but 'self interest rational' from the Corp.
If it's perceived that the employee 'went to far' in their 'discovery' of the competitive API, and that could possibly constitute a crime, then it's basically a 'no brainer', they're going to have to let him go.
Since the staffer did actually report it right away, hopefully he will have his own political cover, and can communicate that to future employers, who should 'get it' - though some won't.
It's unfair but these things happen when an incident blows up into something where the stakes are much higher. 'Fairness' at the microlevel goes out the door towards ostensibly bigger objectives.
Very unfair from employees perspective, but 'self interest rational' from the Corp.
If it's perceived that the employee 'went to far' in their 'discovery' of the competitive API, and that could possibly constitute a crime, then it's basically a 'no brainer', they're going to have to let him go.
Since the staffer did actually report it right away, hopefully he will have his own political cover, and can communicate that to future employers, who should 'get it' - though some won't.
It's unfair but these things happen when an incident blows up into something where the stakes are much higher. 'Fairness' at the microlevel goes out the door towards ostensibly bigger objectives.