Netflix reinstates 3 employees — including trans staffer who criticized Dave Chappelle special

Netflix has officially reinstated Terra Field, the senior software engineer who was suspended after attending a business meeting without clearance. Two other employees were also reinstated, a Netflix spokesperson confirmed to EW.

"Netflix has reinstated me after finding that there was no ill-intent in my attending the QBR meeting," Field wrote in a tweet on Tuesday. "I'm going to take a few days off to decompress and try to figure out where I'm at. At the very least, I feel vindicated."

She also included a screenshot from Netflix, which read, "Our investigation did not find that you joined the QBR meeting with any ill intent and that you genuinely didn't think there was anything wrong with seeking access to this meeting. Additionally when a director shared the link it further supported that this was a meeting that you could attend."

Field, who identifies as trans and queer, originally drew attention when she spoke out against Dave Chappelle's new comedy special The Closer and the remarks he made about the transgender community. Others have also criticized the comedian.

"Yesterday we launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups. You're going to hear a lot of talk about 'offense.' We are not offended," Field wrote last week. She continued their statement in a series of tweets, writing "What we object to is the harm that content like this does to the trans community (especially trans people of color) and VERY specifically Black trans women."

Netflix previously confirmed to EW that the original suspensions of Field and the two other staffers were specifically due to their attendance at the company's quarterly business review meeting and not to their recent criticism of Chappelle's special, writing in a statement "our employees are encouraged to disagree openly and we support their right to do so."

A Netflix spokesperson tells EW that it will be distributing broader guidance about company meetings and clarifying who they're intended for specifically.

According to a report obtained by Variety, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended Chappelle's special in a staff memo last week.

"Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate. We don't allow titles at Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don't believe The Closer crosses that line," said Sarandos. He added "particularly in stand-up comedy, artistic freedom is obviously a very different standard of speech than we allow internally as the goals are different: entertaining people versus maintaining a respectful, productive workplace."

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