Twitter eliminated a large number of contract workers on Saturday, affecting between 4,400 and 5,500 employees. according to platform game‘s Casey Newton. As noted by platform game and confirmed by other reports from axios and CNBCmost contract workers did not receive notice of termination and only found out after they lost access to the company’s email and internal communications systems.
Twitter also reportedly failed to notify executives of these layoffs, who only knew their colleagues had been fired after seeing their accounts deactivated in Twitter’s system. According to an internal email sent to contractors and obtained by Insider (which Insider says contractors have not received until after they heard they could no longer access their accounts), Twitter explains that the job cuts are part of the “re-prioritisation and austerity exercise”. It also informs employees that their last day is Monday, November 14, but nothing is expected of them.
Following Musk’s acquisition, a number of Twitter executives have already resigned or fired, and more employees may lose their jobs due to the company’s new personal work policies. In a transcript of a question-and-answer session between Musk and employees obtained by: The edgeAlex Heath, Musk made it clear that employees should go back to the office and that only ‘exceptional people’ can work remotely. “Basically, if you can show up at the office and you don’t come to the office, then resignation is accepted,” Musk said.
Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company no longer has a communications department.
