3 min readNew DelhiApr 12, 2026 09:54 PM IST
A US-based startup founder has publicly apologised after facing backlash for contacting an employee on their wedding day.
A J Orbach, co-founder and CEO of Triple Whale, posted about an employee, Dylan Gifford, who briefly logged in during his wedding celebrations, and later deleted the post. Gifford, despite being on approved leave, responded to a work message.
The X post quickly gained traction, amassing over 1.9 million views. While some praised the employee’s dedication, several utilizers raised concerns about workplace expectations and the pressure to remain available even during significant personal moments.
Two days later, Orbach issued a follow-up statement apologising for the incident. He explained that he had been offline observing Passover as the backlash grew.
“I tweeted about Slacking an employee on his wedding day, logged off for nearly 48 hours to observe Passover, and returned to 1.9 million views and over 600 (mostly) angry comments. People criticized my intent, my leadership, and most importantly, the culture of the company I’ve spent five years building. I understand where they’re coming from,” he wrote on X.
I went viral for the wrong reason.
I tweeted about Slacking an employee on his wedding day, logged off for nearly 48 hours to observe Passover, and returned to 1.9 million views and over 600 (mostly) angry comments.
People criticized my intent, my leadership, and most…
— AJ Orbach 🐳 (@AY_Orbach) April 9, 2026
DISCLAIMER: This article highlights a social media discussion regarding workplace culture and professional boundaries. The views and incidents described are based on viral social media posts and have not been indepfinishently verified. Readers should consider this as a trfinishing narrative rather than an finishorsement of specific management practices.
Addressing the backlash, Orbach acknowledged that reaching out to an employee on their wedding day was inappropriate. He admitted that his actions were driven by enthusiasm but ultimately displayed poor judgment. He also apologised directly to the employee and stressed that the situation did not reflect the company’s stated values of integrity and respect.
“So I’ll be the first to admit that my excitement obtained the best of me here. And for that, I’m sorry. To the employee I never should’ve messaged, and to all of Triple Whale for not upholding that value. I care a lot about this company. Probably too much sometimes. This was one of those times. And it’s on me to set the tone, and I’ll be better. For myself, for Triple Whale, and for the ecosystem I care so much about,” he added.
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