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Twitter is notifying its employees over email if they've been laid off. With differing emails going to now-former workers depending on their location.
Twitter employees affected by mass layoffs under new owner Elon Musk started to realize they'd lost their jobs late Thursday night, as Insider first reported. While they were told by the company earlier in the day they could expect a "workforce reduction" to begin on Friday morning — after Insider reported on such plans — the cuts began suddenly as employees were cut off from access to work tools like email and Slack.
It was not until Friday morning that the employees received promised communication formalizing that they had been laid off. And as Twitter workers in different U.S. states and parts of the world received notes that said different things about their job status and what they could expect in terms of severance pay, according to people affected by the layoffs.
That differing communication has triggered another wave of confusion, according to numerous messages between former employees seen by Insider.
"Again, we're in limbo," a person affected by the layoffs said.
People working in Europe, India, Singapore, New York, and California, for example, all received notes about being laid off that appeared to be written to comply with each region's labor laws.
People in New York are expected to be offered three months of severance, according to notes sent to people there, while people in California will receive two months of severance. According to state laws, covered under Worker Adjustment and Relocation Notification regulations, workers in California are required to be given 60 days of notice of a mass layoff or equal severance. In New York, it's 90 days.
Meanwhile in Europe, which has more stringent labor laws that often require employers to negotiate with employees being laid off, Twitter workers received boilerplate emails that said, "Your role at Twitter has been identified as potentially impacted or at risk of redundancy." What, if any, severance these employees would be paid was still being worked out, the emails added.
Laid off Twitter employees everywhere have yet to receive any official severance paperwork detailing what they will be offered. But a document attached to the termination notification notes they received said the more detailed paperwork should be out to workers within the next week, and that there will be "no negotiation" on the terms offered.
Many workers also received differing explanations of what else they could expect beyond severance, like payments of company stock or a pro-rated bonus they were earlier told to expect, according to messages reviewed by Insider. Some were told they would receive a payment of their shares on an accelerated vesting schedule, while others were not, according to the messages reviewed. Meanwhile, several affected workers on Friday told Insider they were consulting with lawyers.
Overall, the emails sent to Twitter employees who were let go from Twitter were blunt. Below is one of the notes sent to an employee in New York, which Insider obtained, titled "Your Role at Twitter:"
Hello,
As shared earlier today, Twitter is conducting a workforce reduction to help improve the health of the company. These decisions are never easy and it is with regret that we write to inform you that your role at Twitter has been impacted.
Today is your last working day at the company, however, you will remain employed by Twitter and will receive compensation and benefits through your separation date of February 2, 2023.
During this time, you will be on a Non-Working Notice period and your access to Twitter systems will be deactivated. While you are not expected to work during the Non-Working Notice period, you are still required to comply with all company policies, including the Employee Playbook and Code of Conduct.
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 information, such as how to return your Twitter materials (computer, badge, etc.).
Attached is an FAQ which aims to address a number of questions you may have. If your questions are not answered in the FAQ, you can reach out via [redacted]@twitter.com.
We remain grateful for all that you have done for Twitter throughout your tenure and wish you only the best in your next chapter.
Thank you.
Are you a Twitter employee or someone else with insight to share? Contact Kali Hays at khays@insider.com, on secure messaging app Signal at 949-280-0267, or through Twitter DM at @hayskali. Reach out using a non-work device.
Contact Grace Kay from a non-work email at gkay@insider.com
