Twitter’s laid-off workers asked to drop lawsuit over severance, judge rules

Twitter Inc has secured a ruling permitting the social media firm to pressure a number of laid-off employees suing over their termination to pursue their claims through particular person arbitration than a class-action lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge James Donato on Friday dominated that 5 former Twitter staff pursuing a proposed class motion accusing the corporate of failing to provide satisfactory discover earlier than laying them off after its acquisition by Elon Musk should pursue their claims in non-public arbitration.

Donato granted Twitter’s request to pressure the 5 ex-employees to pursue their claims individually, citing agreements they signed with the corporate.

Twitter didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The San Francisco choose left for one more day “as warranted by developments in the case” whether or not the complete class motion lawsuit have to be dismissed, although, as he famous three different former Twitter staff who alleged they’d opted out of the corporate’s arbitration settlement have joined the lawsuit after it was first filed.

Last 12 months, Donato had dominated that, Twitter should notify the hundreds of employees who had been laid off after its acquisition by Musk following a proposed class motion accusing the corporate of failing to provide satisfactory discover earlier than terminating them.

The choose mentioned that earlier than asking employees to signal severance agreements waiving their potential to sue the corporate, Twitter should give them “a succinct and plainly worded notice”. Twitter laid off roughly 3,700 staff in early November in a cost-cutting measure by Musk, and tons of extra subsequently resigned.

In December final 12 months, Twitter was additionally accused by dozens of former staff of assorted authorized violations stemming from Musk’s takeover of the corporate, together with concentrating on girls for layoffs and failing to pay promised severance.

Twitter can also be going through no less than three complaints filed with a U.S. labor board claiming employees had been fired for criticizing the corporate, making an attempt to arrange a strike, and different conduct protected by federal labor legislation. (Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru and Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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