Individuals stroll previous the Twitter workplaces in New York Metropolis on January 12, 2023.
Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Pictures
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 by way of particular person arbitration than a class-action lawsuit.
U.S. District Decide James Donato on Friday dominated that 5 former Twitter workers 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 within the case” whether or not your complete class motion lawsuit have to be dismissed, although, as he famous three different former Twitter workers who alleged that they had opted out of the corporate’s arbitration settlement have joined the lawsuit after it was first filed.
The lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, Shannon Liss-Riordan, mentioned on Monday that she had already filed 300 calls for for arbitration on behalf of former Twitter workers and would seemingly file a whole lot extra.
These employees all declare they haven’t acquired the total severance package deal promised by Twitter earlier than Musk took over. Some have additionally alleged intercourse or incapacity discrimination.
Final 12 months, Donato had dominated that Twitter must 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 skill to sue the corporate, Twitter should give them “a succinct and plainly worded discover”.
Twitter laid off roughly 3,700 workers in early November in a cost-cutting measure by Musk, and a whole lot extra subsequently resigned.
In December final 12 months, Twitter was also accused by dozens of former employees of assorted authorized violations stemming from Musk’s takeover of the corporate, together with focusing on girls for layoffs and failing to pay promised severance.
Twitter can also be going through not 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.
