Are former Twitter employees owed $500 million in severance? A lawyer weighs in

SEVERANCE: Former Twitter employees have filed multiple lawsuits this month against Elon Musk and Twitter (now X Corp.), claiming the employer owes at least $500 million for failing to provide the full severance pay and benefits employees were promised. One of these class action lawsuits is expected to be heard in a Delaware federal court, while the other will go to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Christopher Owens, an attorney with Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP , the firm defending former employees in the California court, believes this should be a straightforward case — Musk owes money.

"They're owed their severance benefits under company policy, which we argue had existed at the time of the layoffs and three years prior," says Owens. "And they're owed this money under the federal law ERISA, which guarantees that these policies must be enforced."

Read: Former Twitter employees claim Elon Musk owes $500 million in severance

RECRUITING: The?frontline and hourly workforce?keeps much of the economy afloat — and employers who are struggling to retain this talent pool are starting to sweat. The solution, however, may be simpler than they think.

"Everyone has read about all of the layoffs and how companies are slowing down and worried about the economy, but that's primarily in the knowledge-worker universe," says Sean Behr , CEO at Fountain . "When it comes to the stores and the warehouses and the hospitals, there is no slowdown whatsoever. The economy is roaring for them."?Behr shares how employers can be more appealing to hourly employees when they have so many options to consider:

Read: Why can't you hire enough hourly workers?

MENTAL HEALTH: Debbie Hickey can trace the start of her substance abuse to when she was just 14 years old. But whether it was at school or the?workplace, Hickey knew she couldn't reveal what she was struggling with.?

"I had some difficulty fitting in, and I felt very uncomfortable in my own skin," she says. "I found that consuming alcohol was like an equalizer, making me experience a level of comfort as I moved through the world. It just took away fear." Hickey is now 33 years sober, and serves as the director of communications at Lionrock Recovery , a telehealth solution for addiction recovery.?She shared her story and how employers can utilize virtual solutions to get employees the support they need:

Read: Substance use disorder is costing employers billions. Here's how to invest in treatment