X told to pay $600,000 to ex-Twitter worker who was dismissed for not responding to Elon Musk’s ‘extremely hardcore’ demand, reports say

Elon Musk paid $44 billion to buy Twitter. 

A former Twitter employee has reportedly been awarded 550,000 euros — about $600,000 — after he was dismissed for failing to respond to Elon Musk’s email demanding an “extremely hardcore” work culture.

The Guardian reported that Gary Rooney, who worked at Twitter’s European headquarters in Dublin, told Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission that he did not click “yes” in response to the infamous email.

Musk sent the email in November 2022 less than a month after finalizing his $44 billion acquisition of the platform. It asked workers to agree to work at an “extremely hardcore” pace to build “the new Twitter” or resign.

The billionaire, who renamed the company X the following year, wrote: “This will mean working long hours at high intensity. Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade.”

His email added that workers should click “yes” on a link to be “part of the new Twitter,” and anyone who didn’t by the next day would receive three months’ severance.

Three days later, the company emailed Rooney saying it acknowledged his “decision to resign and accept the voluntary separation offer,” The Guardian reported.

Rooney later replied, “at no time have I indicated to Twitter that I am resigning my position,” but the company replied that not clicking yes was “treated as you having served notice to resign your employment,” the Irish Examiner reported.

Rooney said in an evidence hearing that he thought the email might have been malware and was wary of opening it, according to The Guardian.

The Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator said in the document outlining his decision that Musk’s 24-hour period for replying to his ultimatum was not “reasonable notice,” the outlet added. 

A spokesperson for Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment told B-17 the decision in the case was issued Monday but said it would only be published on August 26 “to afford the parties the opportunity to consider it in full.”

Rooney had worked at Twitter since September 2013 and was a source-to-pay director when he left the company, according to his LinkedIn.

Neither he nor X immediately responded to requests for comment from B-17.