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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Did Tesla defy coronavirus shutdown orders?

By Jiyul Kim
YES

On May 9, the electric-car maker sued California's Alameda County, home to its headquarters and a large factory, seeking to resume operations despite county shutdown orders. Tesla founder Elon Musk had earlier likened shelter-in-place policies in the region to "forcibly imprisoning people in their homes." Several days later the county acceded to Tesla's demands, which had won national political support, and agreed on terms for resuming full operations.

Some Tesla workers continue to be critical of the company's handling of their health concerns. The Washington Post reported two workers said they were terminated after taking unpaid leave instead of reporting back to work in May. A small protest group assembled July 2 in Oakland to ask the county to investigate if Tesla is concealing infections at the plant.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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