The employee risked and will lose nothing.
Zip.
Nada.
If you do not understand this, you have never had a manager like this.
This idiot manager was always going to fire her subordinants no mater how exemplary their work to cover for the things she doesn’t get done.
So. The job would be lost rgardless, and likely the supervisor has left a long string of people fired to cover for her lackadaisical habits throughout her career.
The guy knew what he was doing and had nothing to lose. The only thing this changes is that people who figure out who the boss was here mow have advance notice should they wind up in her employ.
Nailed it.