Mike Tully, who used to work as an executive at Tesla, is now suing the company over what he describes as a total “bait-and-switch” move.
According to Tully, Tesla initially promised him a work-from-home role.
But then, seemingly out of the blue, Tesla reportedly backtracked and told him he’d need to move for the job.
A Family Dilemma
Tully had been with Bank of America for 16 years before joining Tesla, and he’d been working in Irvine, California, about 400 miles away from Tesla’s Fremont offices.
When Tesla came knocking, he made it clear that moving wasn’t an option.
His wife even threatened to divorce him if he uprooted their family, and his kids were settled with plans to attend nearby universities.
Plus, his wife managed a family business in Irvine, so leaving wasn’t just a personal issue.
A Promising Start at Tesla
Tully started at Tesla in April 2022 and was reportedly killing it, earning “excellent” performance reviews in his first two months.
Tully was given until December 2022 to relocate or lose his job.
The Toll of Stress
The stress of the situation apparently triggered a resurgence of a painful medical condition (Chron’s and IBD, according to the complaint) and put his marriage on the rocks.
When Tesla told Tully he’d have to relocate, he didn’t just accept it, he tried to find a middle ground.
He suggested working from a nearby office or even switching to a different team that wouldn’t require such a long commute.
But instead of working with him, Tesla reportedly fired him the very next day.
Taking Tesla to Court
Tully is taking Tesla to court. He’s not only seeking compensation for the emotional and financial toll this ordeal took on him but also asking the court to step in and make sure Tesla can’t pull this kind of move on other employees in the future.