Elon Musk sent a thank-you note to Tesla's workers returning to work — but some employees fear for their jobs if they don't go back

• Elon Musk sent an email thanking Tesla staff for returning to work.
• The billionaire re-opened Tesla's Fremont, California factory on Monday despite local health authorities ordering it to stay closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• Business Insider previously spoke to Tesla employees who fear they could lose their jobs if they don't turn up for work this week.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk sent a message to Tesla workers thanking them for returning to work after he re-opened the company's Fremont factory in contravention of a local shelter-in-place order.

Musk retweeted a copy of the email that was tweeted by the Third Row Tesla Podcast's Twitter account.

Here is the email in full:

Just wanted to send you a note of appreciation for working hard to make Tesla successful. It is so cool seeing the factory come back to life and you are making it happen!!

An honest day's work spent building products or providing services of use to others is extremely honorable. I have vastly more respect for someone who takes pride in doing a good job, whatever the profession, than some rich or famous person who does nothing useful.

Gratefully yours,
Elon.

Musk does not appear to acknowledge in this note any fears employees might have around contracting the coronavirus if they return to work, nor does he mention anything about testing or safety measures.

Workers who spoke to Business Insider's Linette Lopez and Mark Matousek ahead of Tesla re-opening the Fremont factory said they feared for their jobs if they didn't report for work.

One employee said they were told by the company they wouldn't receive benefits if they didn't come back to work, and would be unable to apply for unemployment. Another said they were told their furlough status would change.

The note also doesn't acknowledge that the Fremont factory is reopening only because Musk is forcing the issue.

When Alameda County, where the Fremont factory is located, ruled that Tesla does not qualify as an essential business and therefore wouldn't be allowed to re-open, the company filed a lawsuit against the county. Musk also declared he would open the factory on Monday regardless.

Local Alameda County health authorities said Tuesday that Tesla would be allowed to resume business starting next week if it puts appropriate safety measures in place.

In Tesla's first-quarter earnings call last month Musk said the closure of the factory posed a "serious risk" to Tesla's business.

The billionaire has also been extremely vocal in dismissing the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, protesting lockdown measures as "fascist."