US federal employees are upset after receiving mixed instructions about an email request from Elon Musk. The email, backed by President Donald Trump, asked workers to list their tasks from the past week or risk losing their jobs.

Musk warned that not replying would be considered a resignation. However, two days later, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) clarified that responding was optional. This left agencies to decide their own policies, leading to confusion.

Several major agencies—including the Department of Defense, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—told employees to ignore the email. Some workers even received conflicting messages over the weekend.

Unions and activist groups have now filed a lawsuit in California to stop the directive. One HHS employee, speaking anonymously, told the BBC, “They’re driving us insane.”

Musk later posted on X, stating he was following President Trump’s instructions. He added that workers would get a second chance to respond but warned that failure to do so again would lead to termination.

Despite the controversy, White House press secretary Karine Leavitt insisted, “Everyone is working together as one unified team at the direction of President Trump. Any claims otherwise are false.”

The situation remains tense as federal workers wait for further clarification.