A coworker of mine who helps write grants and raises money to fund our nonprofit's programs (and pay my salary!) moved outside the US with her family last year and made arrangements with the director and board to transition to a contractor role.
For context, this coworker is stellar at her job, sincerely invested in ending the injustices our np focuses on, and beloved by all. The director is essentially an ultra-capitalist politician who often lies/withholds info from the team and is extremely focused on the “image” of the organization and himself. He maintains a very polished facade but cannot tolerate being challenged or questioned, which that coworker often did.
This week, the director tells her that a lawyer advised that it's illegal for the nonprofit to work with her because she doesn't have a work visa in her new country of residence, and the organization would have to “disengage with” (fire) her. (She has a tourist visa and lives within its rules.). So she asserts she doesn't need a work visa because she works for a US organization, still has US residence & ciizenship, pays US taxes, etc. Her husband has a similar setup and the employer – a large company with an actual HR department – has no issue with it.
My coworker brought this up to the director but he doesn't seem motivated to get a second opinion. He just wants her gone. The whole team is very upset and feels like this decision is being made on potentially incorrect info, but none of us know enough.
Does this seem shady? Does anyone have resources to share that would help me figure it out? Any recommendations on questions to ask at an upcoming team meeting when he makes the official announcement of her “departure”?
I really want to hold my employer accountable for these actions and let them know that situations like this engender deep mistrust and satisfaction. (An openly disgruntled team is one of the only things that seems to rattle my boss and provoke him to ethical behavior.)
Edit: grammar; added request for recommendations!