- Elon Musk told Tesla workers in a March email that they could stay home if working amid the coronavirus pandemic made them uncomfortable.
- Now, two workers say they were fired after doing just that.
- Musk's standoff with local officials and defiant return to production eventually resulted in multiple cases of COVID-19 within Tesla's ranks.
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"I'd like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work," Elon Musk told Tesla workers at the depths of the coronavirus pandemic in March.
But despite Musk saying it was "totally ok" to stay home, two employees told the Washington Post they were served termination notices in June after opting to not come to work as Musk illegally opened the factory amid local shelter-in-place orders.
The two workers, Carlos Gabriel and Jessica Naro, said Tesla's human resources department cited their inability to reach them when they did not show up for work. However, they also believe the move is connected to speaking out about working conditions in May in a separate Post report.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
Musk's benevolent bending to allow workers to stay home — or at least the appearance of such — came as he and Tesla sparred with leaders in Alameda County, where its Fremont Factory is located.
After calling the lockdown rules, which were largely effective in helping to slow the virus' spread, fascist, Musk doubled down on his standoff, eventually filing a lawsuit in federal court against the county. And after returning to work, multiple employees tested positive for the virus.
