[KeplerBoy]

Is it really unethical to replace employees?

I'm not invalidating your decision, maybe that owner really was an asshole, but I don't think the move in itself is deplorable.

[croquemonsieur]

I think it was unethical to do it like that, yeah. And you're right I don't know the history between the two of them, so I can't say which was the asshole. But I do think I'd have been an asshole had I stayed after learning that.

[SlightlyLeftPad]

I agree, it’s equally likely that the person they were trying fire was an asshole too.

[croquemonsieur]

I've written/read the word asshole so many times, I'm reminded of Spaceballs!

But you're right, I didn't know them enough to judge who was in the wrong. I think that was the problem. If he'd just fired the guy without telling me, I'd have been surprised but there wouldn't be anything I could do. Instead, he effectively gave me a choice: stay and someone you barely know loses their job, or leave.

[j-bos]

Yeah that is an odd way to handle it, almost like the owner didn't want to fully own their decision.