Former employees sue Twitter, claiming more women have been laid off than men

Two women who mislaid their jobs astatine Twitter aft Elon Musk took implicit are suing the company, claiming caller lay-offs disproportionately affected pistillate employees.

About fractional the societal media network's workforce were let spell aboriginal past month after Mr Musk bought the institution for $44bn.

He subsequently told those remaining that they would request to enactment astatine "high intensity".

"Going forward, to physique a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and win successful an progressively competitory world, we volition request to beryllium highly hardcore," helium said successful a message.

"This volition mean agelong hours astatine precocious intensity. Only exceptional show volition represent a passing grade."

The suit alleges that those requirements disproportionately affected women "who are much often caregivers for children and different household members, and frankincense not capable to comply with specified demands".

The suit, filed for erstwhile employees Carolina Bernal Strifling and Willow Wren Turkal, claims 57% of pistillate employees were laid disconnected connected 4 November, compared to 47% of antheral employees, citing a spreadsheet.

For women successful engineering-related roles the spread is alleged to person been adjacent greater, with 63% laid off, compared with 48% of men.

The suit has been filed by salient workers' rights lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan.

"The wide termination of employees astatine Twitter has impacted pistillate employees to a overmuch greater grade than antheral employees - and to a highly statistically important degree," Ms Liss-Riordan wrote.

Speaking extracurricular a national tribunal successful San Francisco, Ms Liss-Riordan said she wanted to amusement that the "richest antheral successful the satellite is not supra the law".

She added: "We are arguing that the arbitration agreements (signed by Twitter staff) are not enforceable.

"But if we person to spell done arbitration 1 by one, we are acceptable to bash that."

Twitter has not yet responded to a Sky News petition for comment.

Earlier this week, it was reported that bedrooms had been installed successful Twitter's San Francisco offices.