How Elon Musk Plans To Put His Employees First
Amid all of the controversy Elon Musk is embroiled in, the billionaire announced that he has specific plans to support his employees.
Elon Musk has been making headlines left and right recently. The billionaire is currently embroiled in what has become a saga over his attempt to acquire the social media platform Twitter. He received backlash from Tesla employees after sending a pointed email that instructed all employees must return to in-person work in a full-time capacity without exception. SpaceX employees have expressed their disapproval of Musk after some of his alleged extracurricular activities became public knowledge. Needless to say, the guy has a lot of drama ensuing in the public sphere. That being said, amid all of the controversy Musk did make an announcement that directly relates to how he intends to better support his employees across all of his existing companies.
Elon Musk conveyed that he intends to greatly expand upon the childcare benefits that his companies currently offer. This news comes following the announcement that Elon Musk is now a father of nine. Musk fathered twins with an executive employee at his company Neuralink. Subsequent to the news, to which Musk coyly responded that he is “…doing his best to help the underpopulation crisis,” Musk tweeted in a thread that he is “…planning to increase childcare benefits at my companies significantly.”
According to the tweet, details as to what those significant enhancements could be should be made available within a month’s time. In the tweet Musk also asserted that he believes “Kids are worth it if at all possible,” and that he also intends to use his Musk Foundation to donate directly to needy families. His assertions were in response to a Twitter user seeking advice for people who want children but don’t have them due to how much it costs to raise and properly care for another human being at present. It’s also worth noting that Elon Musk’s promise to increase childcare benefits comes following the controversial Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It also follows announcements from other companies that have decided to bolster their childcare benefits in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Specifics as to what new childcare benefits Elon Musk plans to roll out at his companies have not yet been detailed. Employees who currently work at Tesla are eligible for 16 weeks of paid parental leave (maternal and paternal) when they welcome a new child. Tesla also offers up to $40,000 in reimbursement costs for couples who underwent fertility treatments, according to Business Insider. Additionally, while not officially confirmed, SpaceX employees likely receive 10 weeks of paid maternity leave. It is unclear whether SpaceX offers paternity leave.
Considering the existing benefits that are known at two of Elon Musk’s companies, it’s practical to reason that should Musk follow through with his childcare bolstering plans those benefits could extend beyond initial maternity or paternity leave benefits. Perhaps they could expand to include daycare coverage, summer camp, specialized schooling and/or medical services. At this point though, any perceived potential benefits are just conjecture. Hopefully, Elon Musk will make good on his intentions to reveal more details in a month’s time.
