A former senior director in product design for Twitter, Halli Thorleifsson, appealed to Elon Musk on Twitter to clarify if he had been fired from the company, as Twitter’s HR head was unable to confirm his employment status.
Responding to the tweet, Mr Musk asked about the work Mr Thorleifsson had been doing, which led to a series of follow-up questions, resembling an interview.
Eventually, Twitter’s HR department informed Mr Thorleifsson that he had been sacked. The exchange between Mr Thorleifsson and Mr Musk was widely shared on Twitter, with Mr Musk later criticising the former employee for doing no work and using disability as an excuse.
Hi @jack
I would really appreciate your help on this one.
My company was acquired on your watch and I joined because I believed in what you were building.
— Halli (@iamharaldur) March 6, 2023
Mr Thorleifsson had sold his creative design agency, Ueno, to Twitter in 2021, and was working full-time at the social media giant until he was reportedly fired. He expressed concerns that Mr Musk might not honour the contract he signed with Twitter when he sold Ueno.
What work have you been doing?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 7, 2023
It’s approved, you go ahead
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 7, 2023
– led design crits to help level up design across the company
– was hiring manager for all design roles
– worked on efforts to steer the company away from focusing on power users and on to younger users (because our user base is aging)— Halli (@iamharaldur) March 7, 2023
But the original question was if I was still employed or not since you or your head of HR haven’t been able to answer that yet.
But she did just miraculously reply so I finally have confirmation that I no longer work at Twitter!!
— Halli (@iamharaldur) March 7, 2023
Halli Thorleifsson’s case highlights the importance of proper communication and transparency from companies to their employees, particularly when it comes to their employment status. The uncertainty Mr Thorleifsson faced following his lockout from Twitter’s accounts and the HR department’s inability to confirm his employment status led to extreme stress and frustration, ultimately resulting in him appealing to Elon Musk on Twitter for clarification.
Moreover, the incident raises questions about the treatment of employees, including those with disabilities, and their job security. Mr Thorleifsson’s case is unique in that he sold his company to Twitter and became a full-time employee as part of the acquisition. However, his concerns about potentially losing his retirement fund and the security of his family due to a contract dispute with Twitter and Elon Musk highlights the vulnerability of employees, even those in senior positions.
Overall, the exchange between Halli Thorleifsson and Elon Musk on Twitter serves as a reminder to companies to communicate clearly with their employees, particularly when it comes to their employment status and any changes that may affect their job security. Additionally, it raises concerns about the treatment of employees, including those with disabilities, and the need for companies to provide proper support and accommodations.
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