Chaotic.
Thousands of Twitter employees, including some involved in the company’s public policy and content-moderation activities, were fired on Friday as Elon Musk reimagines the social network.
In heartfelt tweets, many using the hashtags #LoveWhereYouWork and #OneTeam, employees took to the social media platform to let others know that they had been let go. Many of those posting had previously worked in roles including public policy, communication, engineering, marketing and human resources.
Meanwhile, Elon posted a furious message to left-wing users who caused a ‘massive drop in revenue’ before the purge in staff hit their inboxes.
He said it was ‘extremely messed up’ and accused them of ‘trying to destroy free speech in America’ despite what he said were his best efforts to ‘appease’ the campaigners.
Twitter employees have started to receive the email to let them know whether they are among half the workforce set to be culled on Friday – at 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST and 9 am PST.
Those who were selected to stay have been informed that the office will remain closed until November 7th, and have been urged to ‘refrain from discussing confidential company information.’
Additionally, they will be told of Musk’s ‘vision for the company’ in the coming days, with ‘more information’ to be shared next week.
Anyone who has found themselves out of a job has been told that they will continue to be employed by Twitter until either January or February 2 next year, depending on their role, though November 4 will be their last working day at the company.
Many who have so far lost their jobs were barred from accessing company logins for online Twitter accounts Thursday night without having been previously informed that their contracts had been terminated, according to one former employee who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity.
The internal memo instructs staff leaving the company that they are still expected to comply with the employee playbook and code of conduct while they remain on gardening leave.
It added: “Within a week, you will receive details of your severance offer, financial resources extending beyond your Non-Working Notice period.
“At that time you will also receive a Separation Agreement and Release of Claims and other offboarding.”
The company has reportedly fired 85 per cent of their employees in India and 90 per cent of those in Asia, with public relations and communications teams down to two people.
According to the Wall Street Journal, some staff were told that they would have a separation date in January, rather than February.
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