Shortly after Musk’s $44 billion acquisition, he emailed all employees, asking them to commit to an “extremely hardcore” work schedule or resign. He offered three months of severance to those who did not opt-in.

Rooney did not respond to the email and later received communication from HR acknowledging his “decision to resign.” However, Rooney contested this, arguing he never officially resigned. He brought the case to Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), where he won and was awarded around $600,000.

The WRC documents revealed Twitter’s handling of the situation was marked by unclear communication and informal language. HR professionals pointed out that clear terms and face-to-face conversations are typically more appropriate when no-show resignations happen, especially in large organizations like Twitter.

Rooney’s case also highlighted the role of internal messaging systems like Slack, where conversations between Rooney and colleagues were used as evidence in the case. Experts have emphasized the importance of understanding that Slack messages, while valuable for communication, are not private and can be used in legal proceedings.

The case serves as a reminder for employees and employers to ensure clear communication during significant transitions and to be mindful of company policies in formal and informal communication channels.