Elon Musk tells employees to return to the office 40 hours a week

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Patrick Ball/AFP

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Patrick Ball/AFP

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Patrick Ball/AFP

CEO Elon Musk has asked Tesla employees to return to the office to work in person at least 40 hours a week or they will be laid off.

The news of the policy was revealed in a series of leaked emails that Musk sent on Tuesday, according to the Electric Vehicle News website, Electric.

“Anyone who wants to do remote work must be in the office for at least 40 (and I mean *minimum*) 40 hours a week or leave Tesla. That’s less than we’re asking factory workers,” Musk wrote.

The billionaire added that staff offices should be “Tesla’s main office, not a remote branch office unrelated to job duties,” Electrek reports.

in E-mailMusk said he would review and directly approve any requests for exemption from the company’s return-to-work policy, but assured its employees: “If you don’t show up, we’ll assume you quit.”

“Tesla has created and will truly make the most exciting and meaningful products for any company on Earth. It’s not going to happen by calling them,” Musk added.

Tesla did not respond to NPR’s immediate requests for comment. However, in a Reply to one user On Twitter who asked Musk about the leaked emails, he replied, “They should pretend to work elsewhere.”

The billionaire has opposed his anti-remote work stance, criticizing Americans and work ethic in the past.

During an interview with financial timesAnd the Musk said Americans are trying to “avoid going to work at all,” making the comparison with Chinese factory workers who are working hard and “won’t leave the factory.”