Did Elon Musk give away laptops to ex-employees?

In  recent months, Twitter has been undergoing frequent changes and updates, causing some instability. In the midst of this, Individuals who were laid off or fired by Musk are bewildered as to why Twitter has not retrieved the corporate laptops.  

Businesses typically reclaim their laptops and other work equipment before releasing employees. This practice protects sensitive data and cuts down on infrastructure costs. However, as reported by Wired, ex-Twitter workers who were terminated in recent months say they still possess the laptops provided by the company. Eric Frohnhoefer, a former software engineer for Twitter based in California, has stated that he still has the MacBook Pro M1 laptop issued to him for work purposes. Frohnhoefer was let go in November after he criticised Musk in a series of tweets. 

Some companies, such as Snap and Airbnb, have made exceptions and allowed laid off employees to keep their work devices for personal use. However, it is unlikely that Musk and financially struggling Twitter will forego the value of the laptops, especially after they auctioned off small items like dongles.

However, Twitter’s inability to retrieve these laptops has left many ex-employees perplexed and dissatisfied, as they are still awaiting their severance pay. Reportedly, two ex-employees are concerned that retaining the laptops may jeopardize their severance pay or lead to legal trouble.

Twitter is facing severe financial difficulties, including millions in unpaid rent and bills, and a $13 billion debt to lenders who financed its acquisition. To address these issues, Twitter has auctioned off $1.5 million worth of furniture and equipment from its San Francisco office, including smaller items like keyboards and USB devices. However, the company has neglected to retrieve hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of assets in the form of laptops given to former employees.