Title: Former Twitter Employee Files Labor Complaint Against Elon Musk’s X Over Retaliation and Firings
Subtitle: Accusations of Controversial Takeover and Workplace Policy Changes Surface in Court Filings
[City], [Date] – A former employee of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has filed a labor complaint against the company alleging illegal termination in retaliation for her online criticism of the company’s return-to-office policy. The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is investigating the allegations, shedding light on behind-the-scenes accusations regarding Elon Musk’s controversial takeover.
Yao Yue, who worked as a principal software engineer at X, claims that she was fired unlawfully late last year after her internet posts challenged the company’s work requirements. The complaint alleges that X violated the National Labor Relations Act, which grants private-sector employees the right to seek better working conditions without fear of retaliation.
Yue’s online criticism was in response to Musk’s sudden October takeover of Twitter and the subsequent changes in the company’s policies. Musk allegedly emailed employees stating, “Any manager who falsely claims that someone reporting to them is doing excellent work or that a given role is essential, whether remote or not, will be exited from the company.” He further added, “If you can physically make it to an office and you don’t show up, resignation accepted.”
The filing also reveals that several other NLRB complaints have been filed against X and Musk, alleging retaliatory firings. While three of the complaints have been closed, three remain open. Additional details regarding these complaints are currently unavailable.
Yue responded to Musk’s demand to return to the office by encouraging fellow workers not to resign, leading to her termination a few days later, allegedly in violation of labor laws. The NLRB complaint argues that Yue was chosen for layoff due to her attempt to organize co-workers against resigning in order to strengthen their legal position if they were let go.
X has denied any wrongdoing in the cases where it has filed responses. A hearing on all the complaints is scheduled for January 30 in San Francisco.
Elon Musk completed the $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in October, subsequently renaming it X. To streamline operations, Musk initiated a round of firings, including top executives, resulting in the layoff of over half of the workforce. X is now facing multiple lawsuits related to these layoffs, including claims of gender and disability discrimination, as well as allegations of unpaid severance.
For comment, FOX Business reached out to X but received an automated response stating, “Busy now, please check back later.”
With the ongoing investigations and legal battles surrounding X, the future of the social media platform under Elon Musk’s ownership remains uncertain.
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