8:38 am, March 10, 2022
Tesla has said it will pay Ukrainian employees who are asked to return to fight for their country for three months, according to an internal email.
CNBC reported that an email was sent to staff in Europe, the Middle East and Africa region and said that if workers in Ukraine were conscripted, they would be kept on the payroll for three months.
Tesla said it would review this policy again after three months, looking at the situation between Russian and Ukraine.
The email, sent on March 7, from Tesla director for North Europe Axel Tangen said: ‘For any Tesla employees who is a Ukrainian national and has been asked to return to Ukraine for active duty as a reservist, we will maintain their employment and salary for 3 months, with a view to assessing after this period as needed.’
Tesla doesn’t operate in Ukraine but does have 5,000 owners in the country and it’s also letting other EV drivers use its Supercharger stations in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.
In the email, it also praised employees for getting its Starlink satellite internet online in Ukraine, using donated Tesla Powerwalls, lithium ion batteries, inverters and charging cables.
Tangen also wrote: ‘Many folks have reached to understand how they can contribute, which is awesome. It’s important we show them how we as a company are helping, what resources we have in place, and how they can also proactively support themselves.
‘Big thanks to all of the teams that have contributed to these efforts so far – true Tesla spirit on display.’
