What is the ruling on the salary received by a colleague who relays conversations and news to the manager and neglects his work?

The salary is permissible for its earner as long as he performs the work he was hired for. It is permissible to deduct from it in proportion to any shortcoming. Conveying speech and news, if it leads to discord among people, is backbiting (namimah), which is forbidden. It also involves slandering (gheebah) if the person about whom the news is conveyed dislikes it.