Ethereum Foundation sued after firing employee over mandatory 'Source Seppuku' suicide pact
A former employee of The Ethereum Foundation is suing the nonprofit after being fired for refusing to sign its 'Source Seppuku License.'
A former employee of The Ethereum Foundation is suing the nonprofit organization, alleging disability discrimination, retaliation, unfair employment practices, and related claims, according to The Denver Post. The Ethereum Foundation's 38-page vision for the future, known as the "Ethereum Mandate," was distributed to the organization's approximately 250 employees in early 2026.
The document featured a bizarre and extreme oath on page 11, which appeared to form a suicide pact. Employees were asked to vow to "take his or her own life with a sword" if they failed to uphold the pledge or modified any part of the license. Despite the resistance, the suicide pledge remained in the final version of the mandate.
When resistance to the mandate increased, led by employee Kayleen Fulton, she and another colleague were fired. Fulton, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, is seeking unspecified damages from the Ethereum Foundation.
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