Kristin Cabot remains on leave from her role as head of HR at US data company Astronomer, more than a week after a viral video showed her in an apparent embrace with the firm’s then-CEO at a Coldplay concert. While Andy Byron resigned days later, Cabot has not been fired — a delay attributed to legal and contractual complexities.
Employment lawyers say the company is likely weighing liability risks, with its ongoing internal investigation expected to determine whether Cabot’s conduct justifies dismissal. Both executives were placed on leave following the 16 July incident, captured on a jumbotron at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts and widely shared on social media.
“There are likely contracts, internal investigations, and legal issues involved,” employment attorney Nicole Brenecki told the New York Post, noting that even in a high-profile scandal, a company “can’t just fire someone because the headlines are ugly”.
Byron’s departure, which was reportedly delayed due to severance negotiations, was confirmed on 19 July. He had joined Astronomer in 2023 and led the business through a high-growth period, backed by investors including Salesforce Ventures and Bain Capital.
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Conflict of interest concerns
Cabot, who became chief people officer in November 2024, is now at the centre of a broader debate about trust and impartiality in HR leadership. Observers — including HR professionals — have questioned whether she can return to a role that often involves enforcing conduct policies and handling sensitive workplace issues.
“As an HR Director, how is she going to be able to even deal with the same issue with other employees?” asked one reader on the Post’s site. “She would have a hard time dealing with any disciplinary action. I would argue she can’t effectively do her job now.”
Another commenter, identifying as a long-serving HR director, wrote: “She will have a difficult time getting another job in that field. She might be a part of HR, handling payroll or benefits, but that’s about it.”
Astronomer has so far declined to comment further on Cabot’s status, while interim CEO Pete DeJoy said in a LinkedIn post that the attention had been “surreal” for staff. “While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name,” he wrote.
Personal lives under scrutiny
The scandal intensified when it emerged that both Cabot and Byron appear to be married to other people, according to social media posts. The public nature of the incident — on a stadium screen and with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin commenting from the stage — has added a layer of personal drama to what was already a corporate crisis.
Attorney Douglas Wigdor told the Post that more details about the relationship may yet emerge and could affect the outcome of the probe. “Maybe there’s more to the story from her,” he said. “That’s definitely possible about how it came to be that they’re at this concert and they’re embracing. It’s a short video so it’s hard to know what exactly is going on.”
Credibility and consistency
For many in the HR profession, the issue is not just about policy breach but perceived hypocrisy. “They preach everyday how interoffice relationships are bad, and yet she is allowed to stay in that capacity?” said another Post reader. “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Others pointed to the increasing burden of mandatory training on workplace relationships and harassment — often administered by HR teams — and how this scandal undermines that work. “I can’t see how her days are not numbered,” one reader wrote.
Despite speculation, lawyers say Cabot is unlikely to be able to claim harassment, since there is no public indication that the relationship was non-consensual or involved coercion.
“Unless she was pressured into the relationship because of a power imbalance, there’s not much of a case,” said Brenecki. “Being embarrassed on a jumbotron isn’t the same as being harassed at work.”
Waiting for the axe?
Some legal commentators believe Cabot’s dismissal could still be forthcoming, but only once internal processes are complete. Attorney William Cafaro suggested both sides may be negotiating terms behind the scenes.
“Like if you were to look for a picture of ‘cause’ [for firing] in the dictionary, it would show a picture of the head of HR having a public affair with the CEO,” he said. “It’s difficult to conceive how she could continue in her current role.”
Astronomer has not confirmed when the investigation will conclude. For now, Cabot remains on leave, with her leadership credibility in question and her professional future uncertain.
