[GauntletWizard]

There is no non-standard employment agreement here. The 'docs' that we are referring to her ignoring are federal law; Specifically, the Federal Records Act, which classifies her e-mails as federal records (the latest update clarifies this, but there's a reasonable argument that it was still the case before the explicit callout), and therefore subject to FOIA requests and other forms of review.

[001sky]

White house said this behaviour broke specific policy guidance, but the NY Times reports that setup was well known and a "status symbol"for the SOS. Those two things don't add up.

How can it be that breaking policy was a status symbol?

It would be more normal that having a policy waiver is a status symbol. Flagarantly breaking a rule/law otherwise just allows you to be blackmailed[1]. (you're basically a dead man walking subject to prosecutorial discretion...).

Since that is a common disqualifier for having top-secret security clearance...

none of this makes any sense whatsoever.