ruckus wrote:visionquest wrote:Lesson here is play the game, live inauthentically, and don't stray from your company/master's code of ethics...
Is that really your takeaway from this?
Paul Pierce decided to get high.
Paul Pierce decided to get drunk.
Paul Pierce decided to hire rippers.
Paul Pierce decided to post it on social media.
The lesson is actions have consequences.
You can live as "authentically" as you want but don't put it out there for public consumption if you aren't willing to accept the consequences.
 
Yep.  Your public actions have consequences.   The Company was fully in their rights to let him go if that did not fit with the image they want to portray.   You don't need to do something illegal to do something embarrassing.     And if you are not elite at your job or not that hard to replace, the more likely you will be let go in these situations.   And Paul Pierce is nowhere near elite or irreplaceable for ESPN.  Easy choice to let him go.   
I guess the next issue is whether this will be considered as a termination with cause or without, and what benefits Paul Pierce will get, or not get, on his dismissal.   But even if there is no "cause" from a legal standpoint, you shouldn't be surprised to get called out by your company if you act like a complete jackass in public.  They will just need to pay a bit more to move on from you.