Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said the electric carmaker needs to "make a roughly 10% reduction in staff," according to an email sent to executives on Thursday and seen by Reuters.
In the email titled "pause all hiring worldwide," he said: "I have a super bad feeling about the economy."
Tesla was not immediately available for comments.
Musk earlier this week asked Tesla employees to return to the office or leave the company.
"Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week," Musk wrote in another email sent to employees on Tuesday night.
"If you don't show up, we will assume you have resigned."