Elon Musk recently informed Tesla staff that the company would be cutting more than 10% of its workforce, resulting in 280 job cuts at the Buffalo, New York facility. The Buffalo site plays a crucial role in training for Tesla’s driver-assist software and energy storage products. A regulatory filing revealed that the company laid off 280 workers in Buffalo, comprising about 14% of the site’s total workforce, under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
The layoffs at the Buffalo facility are part of a larger downsizing effort across Tesla. Over the weekend, Elon Musk announced the layoff plans to staff, with some employees being informed of their termination with immediate effect. Workers across the country, as well as some staff at Tesla’s international offices, were affected by the downsizing. The layoffs also impacted workers at Tesla’s factories in California and Texas.
Employees who were laid off began receiving severance packages from Tesla on Wednesday. Some workers reported being offered severance packages equivalent to two months’ worth of pay. This may be a way for Tesla to address any potential violations of the WARN Act, which mandates a 60-day notice period for large-scale layoffs. A spokesperson for Tesla did not provide an immediate comment on the matter.
Tesla’s Buffalo site is vital for the company’s data analysis that feeds into training its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software. The facility also manufactures solar panels, EV charging, and energy storage components. Workers who have been laid off or have any tips can contact Business Insider reporter via a non-work email at gkay@businessinsider.com.