U.S. District Judge James Donato in a three-page order on Wednesday mentioned that earlier than asking employees to signal severance agreements waiving their capability to sue the corporate, Twitter should give them “a succinct and plainly worded notice” of the lawsuit filed final month.
Twitter laid off roughly 3,700 staff in early November in a cost-cutting measure by Musk, the world’s richest particular person, and lots of extra subsequently resigned.
The lawsuit says Twitter failed to present the 60 days discover required by federal and California legal guidelines earlier than participating in mass layoffs. Twitter has denied wrongdoing.
Donato within the ruling mentioned asking employees to waive authorized claims in opposition to Twitter with out telling them concerning the lawsuit can be deceptive.
Twitter had agreed to not search releases from laid-off employees pending Donato’s choice.
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Shannon Liss-Riordan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, known as the choice “a basic but important step that will provide employees with the opportunity to more fully understand their rights instead of just signing them away.”
Twitter didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The firm had argued that discover was pointless as a result of most of its staff had signed agreements requiring them to carry authorized disputes in arbitration and waiving their capability to hitch class actions in opposition to the corporate.
Donato is scheduled to carry a listening to subsequent month on Twitter’s movement to ship the case to arbitration. The plaintiffs amended their grievance this month so as to add employees who say they by no means signed arbitration agreements.
Twitter is going through three different proposed class actions in the identical courtroom over the layoffs. The lawsuits accuse Twitter of failing to present contract employees discover earlier than laying them off and discriminating in opposition to girls and staff with disabilities. The firm has not responded to these claims.
Liss-Riordan, who’s concerned in all the lawsuits, has mentioned she might carry further employment claims in opposition to Twitter, together with if the corporate denies severance pay to laid-off employees. She additionally mentioned final week that she would defend employees if Musk follows by way of on a reported risk to sue staff who leak confidential info to the press.