https://wraltechwire.com/2022/07/08/tweet-this-twitter-is-laying-off-a-third-of-its-talent-acquisition-team

Tweet this: Twitter is laying off a third of its talent acquisition team

Twitter is laying off a portion of its recruiting team after previously saying it would pause most hiring. The move comes as Twitter continues to await a pending acquisition by Elon Musk, a process that has been marked by confusion and contention between the social media company and the billionaire Tesla CEO.

Several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, on Thursday reported that Twitter would lay off around 30% of its talent acquisition team, fewer than 100 people. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed the layoffs to CNN, saying the reduction was made to account for revised business needs.

Twitter said in May — just weeks after Musk agreed to buy the company — that it would halt most hiring and backfills, except for “business critical” roles, and would pull back on other non-labor costs. Several senior executives announced their exit from the company at the same time.

Twitter, like other tech companies, has been hit by a downturn in the stock market. The company’s shares fell about 4% Friday morning, and are down more than 12% since the start of this year. Twitter’s stock trades about 30% below Musk’s offer price, reflecting severe doubts about the deal, at least as it is currently proposed.

Despite signing a definitive agreement to buy the company in April, Musk has suggested he could try to pull out of the deal over concerns about the number of bots on the platform — reasoning that analysts have suggested could simply be an attempt to create an excuse for exiting a deal that seems overpriced in light of the market downturn. Shares of Tesla, which Musk is relying on in part to finance the deal, have also declined sharply since the Twitter acquisition agreement.

The latest twist in the saga came Thursday, when the Washington Post reported that Musk’s deal to buy Twitter is in “serious jeopardy” over supposed challenges verifying Twitter’s figures on spam accounts, attributed to three people familiar with the thinking of Musk’s team. That’s despite the fact that Twitter handed over to Musk its “firehose” of data about tweets on the platform after he demanded more information.

Earlier Thursday, Twitter held a background call with reporters to explain its process of measuring spam and fake accounts — using both human and automated systems that examine public and private data, such as IP addresses and geolocation data — which it has consistently reported are below 5% of its monetizable daily active users. Musk, citing his own experience on the platform but without any apparent evidence, has estimated it to be much higher.

If Musk tries to pull out of the deal, it could lead to a protracted legal battle with the company.

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>this was before the Elon bombshell rejection announcement today

>>16693255

Hugh Ellsworth Rodham

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4224/hugh-ellsworth-rodham

Some of his family tree - click around

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/over-300-virginia-state-employees-resign-in-wake-of-gov-youngkins-telework-policy

Over 300 Virginia state employees resign in wake of Gov. Youngkin’s telework policy

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — More than 300 employees from five state agencies have resigned since Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Virginia’s new telework policy in early May, according to records obtained by 8News.

This includes 183 Virginia Department of Transportation employees, 28 of whom cited “telework options” as the reason for leaving. Two VDOT workers who listed telework as the reason did move to another state agency, records obtained by 8News after filing a Freedom of Information Act request show.

On May 5, Youngkin updated the state’s telework policy for all state employees to begin working in-person full-time by July 5, a change the governor’s office stressed would provide “options for and supports the use of telework where appropriate.” Youngkin said it would help “balance the demands of government services with the needs of our public servants.”

Other state agencies and divisions, including the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), provided employment resignations since Youngkin’s announcement in May after 8News filed public record requests.

According to those records, VDH had 78 resignations and VEC had 37 resignations from May 5 to June 27. Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) had seven resignations from May 5 to July 6 and Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) had six resignations from May 4 to July 7.

“Unfortunately we’re not surprised by this information,” Dylan Bishop, a lobbyist for the Virginia Governmental Employees Association (VGEA), told 8News Friday. “We had anticipated that the shift in policy would result in an exodus of workers, which is really concerning because of the state’s recruitment and retention issues.”

Most of the departments did not provide reasons for the resignations, but VDH shared that 29 former workers cited “Better Job,” three said “Dissatisfied,” six cited “Home Responsibilities,” two listed “Illness,” seven said they were leaving the area, three cited “School” and 27 listed “Other” as the reason.

“The governor is excited to welcome the Commonwealth’s workforce back in person and is encouraged by their continued dedication to serving Virginians,” Rob Damschen, Youngkin’s deputy communications director said in a statement. “We know an office-centric environment fosters collaboration and teamwork and provides an even greater level of service for all Virginians.”

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