The corporate aviation industry is well known for having its share of "it's my plane - you do as you're told" characters.
In some cases there are are people who will make a point of asserting their authority on point of policy - especially for junior or newer pilots (I'm guessing this guy may have been new to the unit if he was recently type rated?).
I'm pleased that in this case the Pilot has been vindicated. I also find it appropriate that the company has been punished for being vindictive - Reading between the lines if they had not sued him for the cost of his rating he might never have sued them for unfair dismissal.
There was a high profile accident in UK a few years ago where an owner with a track record of punishing pilots for saying no and pursuing them for training bonds when they were forced to leave was killed by two inexperienced pilots (he'd sacked all the experienced ones or they had quit)) who did not say "no" when they quite clearly should have done.
I'd like to think that this will be a lesson for some but I'm not that naive.