Comment by HillRat

Even so, they're not protected against being fired -- circulating an internal letter criticizing leadership is, in a right to work state without existing workplace union agreements and outside of a whistleblower or other protected situation, enough to get you fired, though not fired for cause. Are the optics bad? Yes. Is it indicative that "free speech absolutist" Musk believes your right to speech ends where his feelings get hurt? Certainly! But there isn't much the employees can do other than claim unemployment and then bring their talents to a competitor.