Twitter Employee Tweets Elon Musk To Find Out If He Still Has A Job, Elon Proceeds To Publicly Belittle Him And Mock His Disability
Unfortunately, nobody is immune to being laid off these days, especially employees of Twitter. Since Elon Musk purchased the social media giant in October, Twitter has reportedly let go of about 5,500 employees. And while every company has the right to lay off workers when necessary, they still owe it to their employees, current and former, to communicate clearly and respectfully.
So when one Twitter employee from Iceland, Halli Thorleifsson, was given no information before access to his work computer was cut off, he turned to social media to desperately try to get an explanation from Elon Musk.
Twitter has laid off thousands of employees since Elon Musk bought the site
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But after hundreds suddenly lost access to their work computers without receiving any information, Halli Thorleifsson tweeted Musk looking for answers
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After the exchange was called “the most entertaining exit interview [one spectator had] ever witnessed”, Elon dug himself a hole by making personal attacks against Halli
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So Halli responded detailing exactly what his disability is and how he came to work for Twitter
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Elon Musk has only owned Twitter for about 5 months now, but he has already made massive changes to the way the company is run. In an effort to reduce costs, Musk has slashed the number of employees, going from about 7,500 in October to about 2,000 by the end of February, 2023. But the worst part about these layoffs is the way in which he went about them. Rather than having conversations with these employees, or at the very least communicating via email, the layoffs came as a shock.
The New York Times published an article detailing the events that occurred the week of February 26th, 2023, noting that, “The company’s internal messaging service, Slack, was taken offline, preventing employees from chatting with each other or looking up company data … On Saturday night, some employees discovered that they were logged out of their corporate email accounts and laptops, three of the people said — the first hint that layoffs had begun.”
“By Sunday morning, the scope of the cuts was becoming clear,” The New York Times continued. “Some Twitter employees used the platform to post farewell messages, while workers who had kept their jobs scrambled to use encrypted messaging services like Signal to determine who else was left. By Saturday night, the remaining employees had also lost access to a Google chat service associated with their work email accounts, three people said.”
Among the hundreds of people laid off were a few founders of smaller tech companies that had been acquired by Twitter over the years, including Halli, the man who started this conversation. His design studio, Ueno, had been bought by Twitter in 2021, but unfortunately, he’s now just trying to get the money he deserves. Apparently, laying off employees like Halli can be much more expensive than letting go of the average Twitter employee. Founders of tech companies typically receive higher compensation packages when their companies are acquired, and their stock and bonuses must be paid out from Twitter as well.
It’s frustrating and concerning to see the way Elon Musk has handled this situation, however. Lay-offs are one thing, but Musk made personal attacks against Halli on Twitter, insinuating that he was falsely claiming to have a disability and doing “no actual work”. Halli responded with a brilliant thread detailing that he does in fact have muscular dystrophy, while making clever digs at Elon Musk along the way. But the situation should have never escalated to this point. As the owner of a company like Twitter, Musk should certainly have the professionalism and maturity to handle issues like this offline, without being offended or attempting to insult workers who are simply concerned about their employment status.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How do you think Halli and Elon Musk handled this encounter on Twitter? Feel free to share how you would have replied, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing Elon Musk and his purchase of Twitter, look no further than right here!
Invested readers shared their thoughts on the exchange, with many calling out Elon Musk for being so unprofessional
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Bored Panda has reached out to Halli via email and will update this article as soon as we hear back.
Elon is a fúcking tw@t. He responded every bit like a dumb high school bully while this gentleman remained composed and professional.
It was very unprofessional of Musk to reveal private medical information. I hope he has a good lawyer and sues him for it. I know any financially penalty won’t mean much, but it would be a moral victory.
Load More Replies...Elon Musk is a truly vile and narcissistic sociopath. I'm waiting for him to shed his human exoskeleton and become the hideous lizard creature he is beneath. Can we just launch him back to his home planet?
What a scumbag. All the money in the world and not even a grace to respond to a legitimate question.
Musk revealed sensitive medical information to millions of people. That worker needs to 100000% sue for lost wages, unemployment, hostile work environment, harassment, and discrimination against those with disabilities. Musk got himself in hot water the moment he bought Twitter but this has just been taken too far
I've been interviewing so many ex Twitter and Facebook people lately. I do feel bad for the lot of them, it's a c**p situation.
That's how you own a twat without going down at their level (l don't need to clarify who's the twat, do l?)
Is Musk aware of the ADA laws, or does he think he's above those as well? Judges don't mess around with people who violate those laws. Have you considered a complaint with the EEOC?
I don't understand why people aren't leaving twitter in droves? Or are they? When I first heard he was making a bid for it i was outa there!
Sue that POS. The least thing this world needs is literally people like Mr. Musk - I don't like to call strangers that I don't know, neither want to, by their first name, this implies being closer than I am - in a position of power that is not legitimated by anything other than their money.
For a "smart man" he's extraordinarily dumb and very much a jerk.
Seems Elon did a good job of self promotion early on. But now people are on to him.
Load More Replies...Elon Musk is proof that money doesn’t buy character, money reveals character.
SO disappointing to see someone who once had such acclaim and goodwill from nearly everyone turn out to be such an immature, toxic human being. [not sure the reason for the downvotes: a couple of years ago he was the 'real life 'Tony Stark' and darling of the media. Not saying he earned or deserved it, simply that it was the case. He could have kept off social media and kept that going]
He has always been a PoS, we just didn't know it. It just makes me think of how many admirable people today would show their true colors tomorrow. Keeping an eye on you, decaprio!
Load More Replies...He grew up in apartheid era South Africa. I assume he did get plenty of practice
Load More Replies...Musk is an entitled POS. I deleted my +5k followers Twitter account the day after Elon bought it. I only have this FB account to log into news sites that require it.
Musk just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. He literally keeps arguing publicly with people who are in a position to sue him for his behavior. Just the other day I read about him arguing on Twitter with the daughter of an artist who his company stole artwork from to use in a Tesla app. She confronted him because he refused to reply to letters sent by the man's lawyer. How difficult would it be to be courteous and apologize for not addressing whatever issues he has ignored and set up private meetings to talk with these people? And how can he justify the c**p way that Twitter just fires people without telling them? And what was he thinking when he revealed private medical information about this man? And please, people, stop blaming his behavior on Asperger's. He is old enough and experienced enough to know what professional behavior is.
We know Elon Musk is a f*****g pasty faced ugly twat who looks like he was shat out sideways from a baboon's gnarled a*s.
When Halli Þorleifsson asks if Musk is going to pay him what he is owed, he is talking about something far beyond a normal paycheck. He was already owed millions for selling his company. He agreed to take much of the sale price in wages, but the contract said if he was terminated he must be paid in full.
You know the Twitter saga is the wildest thing I've seen in business for a lot of years. Like Elon could have been a POS in private. Then it is a he said she said kind of ordeal. But nooooo. This dude airs his dirty corporate laundry all over Twitter. I am horrified at this level of self destruction. Wanna do business with Amazon? Probably not cus you just showed the entire world how incompetent you are at basic business 101 skills.
I absolutely loved the subtle and classy recommendation that el0n spend time with his family/children.....perfection x
I read somehwere else that the contract of that employee states that Twitter has to pay him 100 million dollars immediately if they fire him. Because he sold his company to Twitter a few years ago and decided he wanted to be paid in salary. Then there's the thing that they fired someone with a disability (you wouldn't get very far with that alone in Germany, no idea about other places). Elon Musk with all his wealth could literally be batman but he chooses over and over to be the villain and not even a smart one.
Elon Musk is a FUCKKKKKING piece of shat, along with being one of the worst people in the world
Surprise surprise.....rich a*****e thinking rules don't apply to them. That's the REAL problem with thus country. We need to hang them all, including the politicians who say they act in OUR interest while in reality all they care about is the $$$$$$$ coming their way as an example to anyone else loomi gnto empower themselves at the expense of the people who put them in power but nooooooo the average American s**t eater has been brainwashed into fighting for the people who take advantage of them, f*****g day in and day out. What this country needs is another revolution. Bring out the noises, bring out the public executions!! What this country needs more than ANYTHING is a show that the common man is fed up with being taking advantage of to make the obscenely rich even richer while being forced to be thankful for the f*****g pittance that trickles down to them. It's YOUR hard work that is benefitting these subhuman f*****g PARASITES wup except you to willing accept this abuse
Musk is the kid who'd create the wolf instead of cryinf about it. I don't understand why people want to be rich when you look at Musk and his behavior. He has all this money and chooses to be a d**k with people defending his dickness. If being rich makes you this out of touch with others.....I'd rather be poor.
I thought selling your COMPANY to Twitter would gain you higher status and perks but it seems 2 ppl Twitter bought companies from were let go
He's going to just destroy the social platform, and have a lot of lawsuits to deal with.
I wrote out a long, detailed, well thought out post but these worthless subhuman n*****s didn't post it....obviously in the pockets of the obscenely rich...amazing how easy it is to whore yourself out when enough $$$$$$ is involved
This made my morning. To think there are still people out there that think being rich is everything 😆
Load More Replies...Twitter has a thing called "terms of service." You agree to follow their rules when you create an account. I must stress that it is your CHOICE to create an account. So they have every right to kick you out when you don't follow their rules. It's in the contract, and if you failed to read it that is no one's fault but your own. It's not called karma, it's called consequences for one's actions.
Load More Replies...Elon is a fúcking tw@t. He responded every bit like a dumb high school bully while this gentleman remained composed and professional.
It was very unprofessional of Musk to reveal private medical information. I hope he has a good lawyer and sues him for it. I know any financially penalty won’t mean much, but it would be a moral victory.
Load More Replies...Elon Musk is a truly vile and narcissistic sociopath. I'm waiting for him to shed his human exoskeleton and become the hideous lizard creature he is beneath. Can we just launch him back to his home planet?
What a scumbag. All the money in the world and not even a grace to respond to a legitimate question.
Musk revealed sensitive medical information to millions of people. That worker needs to 100000% sue for lost wages, unemployment, hostile work environment, harassment, and discrimination against those with disabilities. Musk got himself in hot water the moment he bought Twitter but this has just been taken too far
I've been interviewing so many ex Twitter and Facebook people lately. I do feel bad for the lot of them, it's a c**p situation.
That's how you own a twat without going down at their level (l don't need to clarify who's the twat, do l?)
Is Musk aware of the ADA laws, or does he think he's above those as well? Judges don't mess around with people who violate those laws. Have you considered a complaint with the EEOC?
I don't understand why people aren't leaving twitter in droves? Or are they? When I first heard he was making a bid for it i was outa there!
Sue that POS. The least thing this world needs is literally people like Mr. Musk - I don't like to call strangers that I don't know, neither want to, by their first name, this implies being closer than I am - in a position of power that is not legitimated by anything other than their money.
For a "smart man" he's extraordinarily dumb and very much a jerk.
Seems Elon did a good job of self promotion early on. But now people are on to him.
Load More Replies...Elon Musk is proof that money doesn’t buy character, money reveals character.
SO disappointing to see someone who once had such acclaim and goodwill from nearly everyone turn out to be such an immature, toxic human being. [not sure the reason for the downvotes: a couple of years ago he was the 'real life 'Tony Stark' and darling of the media. Not saying he earned or deserved it, simply that it was the case. He could have kept off social media and kept that going]
He has always been a PoS, we just didn't know it. It just makes me think of how many admirable people today would show their true colors tomorrow. Keeping an eye on you, decaprio!
Load More Replies...He grew up in apartheid era South Africa. I assume he did get plenty of practice
Load More Replies...Musk is an entitled POS. I deleted my +5k followers Twitter account the day after Elon bought it. I only have this FB account to log into news sites that require it.
Musk just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. He literally keeps arguing publicly with people who are in a position to sue him for his behavior. Just the other day I read about him arguing on Twitter with the daughter of an artist who his company stole artwork from to use in a Tesla app. She confronted him because he refused to reply to letters sent by the man's lawyer. How difficult would it be to be courteous and apologize for not addressing whatever issues he has ignored and set up private meetings to talk with these people? And how can he justify the c**p way that Twitter just fires people without telling them? And what was he thinking when he revealed private medical information about this man? And please, people, stop blaming his behavior on Asperger's. He is old enough and experienced enough to know what professional behavior is.
We know Elon Musk is a f*****g pasty faced ugly twat who looks like he was shat out sideways from a baboon's gnarled a*s.
When Halli Þorleifsson asks if Musk is going to pay him what he is owed, he is talking about something far beyond a normal paycheck. He was already owed millions for selling his company. He agreed to take much of the sale price in wages, but the contract said if he was terminated he must be paid in full.
You know the Twitter saga is the wildest thing I've seen in business for a lot of years. Like Elon could have been a POS in private. Then it is a he said she said kind of ordeal. But nooooo. This dude airs his dirty corporate laundry all over Twitter. I am horrified at this level of self destruction. Wanna do business with Amazon? Probably not cus you just showed the entire world how incompetent you are at basic business 101 skills.
I absolutely loved the subtle and classy recommendation that el0n spend time with his family/children.....perfection x
I read somehwere else that the contract of that employee states that Twitter has to pay him 100 million dollars immediately if they fire him. Because he sold his company to Twitter a few years ago and decided he wanted to be paid in salary. Then there's the thing that they fired someone with a disability (you wouldn't get very far with that alone in Germany, no idea about other places). Elon Musk with all his wealth could literally be batman but he chooses over and over to be the villain and not even a smart one.
Elon Musk is a FUCKKKKKING piece of shat, along with being one of the worst people in the world
Surprise surprise.....rich a*****e thinking rules don't apply to them. That's the REAL problem with thus country. We need to hang them all, including the politicians who say they act in OUR interest while in reality all they care about is the $$$$$$$ coming their way as an example to anyone else loomi gnto empower themselves at the expense of the people who put them in power but nooooooo the average American s**t eater has been brainwashed into fighting for the people who take advantage of them, f*****g day in and day out. What this country needs is another revolution. Bring out the noises, bring out the public executions!! What this country needs more than ANYTHING is a show that the common man is fed up with being taking advantage of to make the obscenely rich even richer while being forced to be thankful for the f*****g pittance that trickles down to them. It's YOUR hard work that is benefitting these subhuman f*****g PARASITES wup except you to willing accept this abuse
Musk is the kid who'd create the wolf instead of cryinf about it. I don't understand why people want to be rich when you look at Musk and his behavior. He has all this money and chooses to be a d**k with people defending his dickness. If being rich makes you this out of touch with others.....I'd rather be poor.
I thought selling your COMPANY to Twitter would gain you higher status and perks but it seems 2 ppl Twitter bought companies from were let go
He's going to just destroy the social platform, and have a lot of lawsuits to deal with.
I wrote out a long, detailed, well thought out post but these worthless subhuman n*****s didn't post it....obviously in the pockets of the obscenely rich...amazing how easy it is to whore yourself out when enough $$$$$$ is involved
This made my morning. To think there are still people out there that think being rich is everything 😆
Load More Replies...Twitter has a thing called "terms of service." You agree to follow their rules when you create an account. I must stress that it is your CHOICE to create an account. So they have every right to kick you out when you don't follow their rules. It's in the contract, and if you failed to read it that is no one's fault but your own. It's not called karma, it's called consequences for one's actions.
Load More Replies...
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