In an unexpected turn of events, Gary Rooney, a former senior executive at Twitter’s European headquarters in Ireland, has been awarded a substantial sum of US$600,000 (approximately €550,000) for unfair dismissal after he failed to respond to an email from Elon Musk.
Rooney, who had served as the director of procurement at Twitter International in Dublin, found himself abruptly dismissed following Musk’s acquisition of the company—now rebranded as X. This case, which was brought before Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), has set a new precedent for unfair dismissal awards in the country.
The High-Stakes Takeover and Its Consequences
Having been with Twitter since 2013, Rooney had built a successful career, culminating in his role as director of “source-to-pay.” However, his tenure took a sudden turn when Elon Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 for a staggering $44 billion.
Shortly after taking control, Musk sent an email to all employees, outlining his vision for “Twitter 2.0,” which demanded long hours and a high level of commitment. The email included a directive for employees to confirm their dedication to this new era by clicking a link. The implication was clear: those who failed to respond would be considered to have resigned and would be offered three months’ severance pay.
The Misstep That Led to Dismissal
Rooney, like several other employees, did not respond to the email. His silence was soon interpreted as a resignation. Three days after the initial communication, Rooney received an email from Twitter, which stated that his decision to resign had been acknowledged and that he had accepted a voluntary separation offer.
However, Rooney quickly contested this interpretation. In an email sent to Twitter a week later, he clarified, “At no time have I indicated to Twitter that I am resigning my position, nor have I seen any separation agreement, let alone accepted one.”
The Landmark Ruling by the WRC
During a detailed five-day hearing at the WRC in Dublin, Rooney explained that he had initially suspected Musk’s email could be spam or malware, leading to his hesitation in responding. Twitter, on the other hand, argued that Rooney’s failure to respond constituted a voluntary resignation. The company highlighted that 35 other employees who did not click “yes” to Musk’s email were similarly treated as having resigned.
However, the WRC did not agree with Twitter’s stance. Adjudicator Michael MacNamee ruled that the 24-hour notice period provided in Musk’s email was unreasonable. As a result, Rooney was awarded a total of US$600,000, covering lost earnings from January 2023 to May 2024, as well as projected future lost income.
This ruling underscores the importance of fair communication and reasonable notice in employment practices, especially during major corporate transitions.
Written and published by Leah Starr Villalobos.
