Elon Musk, known for his surprising actions, once again made headlines. After buying Twitter and renaming it X, Musk sent an email to all employees, giving them just one day to respond. However, one employee, Gary Rooney, didn’t reply to the email, and as a result, he was fired. But now, this decision has backfired on Musk, as he is required to pay Rooney ₹5 crore.
Ireland Commission Orders Compensation
According to a report by Fortune, the Workplace Relations Commission in Ireland ordered X to compensate Rooney with €550,000 (approximately ₹5 crore) because they deemed his termination as unfair. Rooney, who worked in Twitter’s Ireland unit, was fired in December 2022. This is the largest amount ever awarded by the Commission.
Musk’s Email to Employees
After acquiring Twitter in November 2022, Musk sent an email to all employees, asking them to commit to working harder and longer hours. They were given one day to respond, and those who didn’t respond would be given three months’ pay and be let go. Rooney didn’t reply to this email, which led to his dismissal.
Musk’s Mass Layoffs After Twitter Purchase
Bloomberg reported that X claimed Rooney resigned by not responding to Musk’s email. However, the Commission rejected this argument, stating that such behavior by a large company was unacceptable and ordered the compensation. Musk had bought Twitter for $44 billion and laid off about half of its employees shortly after the acquisition.
