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TikTok sought to reassure its US workers on Tuesday that they will still have jobs next week despite the Supreme Court upholding legislation that would have seen the video app banned in the US on Sunday.
The message is a change in tone from TikTok, which has said it is confident it will emerge victorious in its legal challenge to the law. It also shows that the company has no plans to leave the US anytime soon, even if it is banned.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is fighting a law last year that would have banned the app unless its work was sold to a non-Chinese owner in the United States. TikTok sent a message to its employees on Tuesday acknowledging uncertainty about future decisions and assuring employees that they will continue to be paid. A Supreme Court decision is expected before the law goes into effect on Sunday.
“Your job, pay and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation is not resolved by the January 19 deadline,” said Nicky Raghavan, global head of human resources. of TikTok, in the message, which was obtained by The New York Times. “The bill was not written in a way that affects the company you work for, only the American user experience.”
The law will punish app stores and internet hosting services for sharing or updating the TikTok app, effectively banning the platform. This will not force the closure of TikTok’s US offices.
The message also noted, “Our leadership team is focused on preparing for various scenarios and continues to plan the way forward.”
The memo, which praised employees for their “perseverance and commitment,” was one of the few internal acknowledgments the company has made about its legal battle in recent months. Despite the threats TikTok faces, there has been little acceptance within the company that it could soon be banned in the United States, a former employee told The Times in November. Executives, at times, made light of the situation, suggesting in a public meeting that one day it would be the subject of a Hollywood movie, some of them said.
TikTok did not immediately respond to questions about its latest headcount in the United States, but messages were sent to an internal “US Team News” channel of more than 13,000 employees. TikTok previously said it has more than 7,000 American employees.
“As we await the United States Supreme Court’s decision before January 19th, we know you have many questions and we want to provide a clear roadmap for next steps,” Ms. Raghavan wrote. He added: “We know it’s frustrating not knowing exactly what’s going to happen next.”
