Laid-off Tesla employee shares sacrifices he made for company: 'slept in car, showered at factory'

Nico Murillo was laid off after five years at Tesla. (Image: Nico Murillo/LinkedIn)

Nico Murillo, a Production Supervisor at Tesla who was recently laid off, shared his experience on LinkedIn of being let go amidst the company's restructuring, talking about the personal sacrifices made during his five-year tenure at Elon Musk’s company.

In an emotional LinkedIn post, Murillo recounted the abrupt morning of April 15th, 2024, when he discovered his laptop account was deactivated at 4:30 am, marking the start of a life-changing day.

“Thought it was just another IT problem, so didn't think anything of it,” Murillo wrote.

Initially attributing it to an IT glitch, he proceeded with his autopilot commute to work, a gruelling 1.5-hour drive, only to receive the devastating news via email at 5:00 am: "Unfortunately, your position has been eliminated by this restructuring."

Struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events, Murillo reached out to his manager, seeking clarity, only to be met with assurances of receiving further details later. Arriving at Tesla's premises, he attempted to badge in, only to have his access revoked by a security guard who confirmed his layoff status at 5:50 am.

Sitting in his car at 6:00 am, Murillo grappled with disbelief, reflecting on his half-decade journey at Tesla, which saw him rise from Production Associate to Lead Production Associate and eventually to Production Supervisor. He reminisced about the sacrifices made, recalling moments of sleeping in his car to avoid lengthy commutes, showering at the factory, and dining on microwaved meals in break rooms—all in unwavering dedication to the company.

“Sacrificed a lot for the company. But this is just a small part of a chapter that is ending, and there’s a whole book waiting to be written. I’m only 29 years old and have a lot more career time in me,” he wrote.

During his career ascent, Murillo acknowledged the pivotal role of his mentor, Louie Afusia, a supervisor who imparted leadership lessons on delegating, follow-through, and empathy. Their bond extended beyond professional field, even sharing a season of semi-professional football. Afusia died in February 2023, Murillo recalled in his post.

Amidst the emotional turmoil, Murillo remains optimistic about the future, citing the inspiration gleaned from mentors like Afusia to pave the way for the next generation. Quoting Tony Stark from "Avengers Endgame," he reflected, "Part of the journey is the end," also ending his post. He added a photograph of him wearing a Tesla jacket to the post.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had announced job cuts exceeding 10% of the global workforce. The restructuring, necessitated by rapid growth and role duplications, has also seen the dissolution of the company's newly formed marketing team.