That's exactly the point that was being made to you. The debate here is precisely what is reasonable, and what is harm.
I was providing an actual scenario as a basis of comparison. I think concrete examples are more useful here.
If you had to let an employee go and caused even more emotional harm (brought on by their no longer being employed), you wouldn't receive a reprisal.
Why are you pointing out that speech sometimes is reasonable to punish? How does this clarify the question of whether we have become too punitive regarding political and controversial social speech.