Elon Musk has been figuring out how many Tesla workers will lose their jobs after former employees filed a lawsuit accusing the automaker of violating US labor laws.

At an event hosted by Bloomberg on Tuesday, Musk said Tesla would cut its workforce by 10% over the next three months while increasing the number of hourly employees.

A Reuters report earlier this month said Musk wanted to cut 10% of his job, citing an internal email written by the Tesla CEO. In a note, Musk said he had a "horrible feeling" about the economy. But in a subsequent email to CNBC Tesla staff, Musk said the company would reduce its workforce by 10 percent and increase hourly hiring.

Musk said Tuesday that Tesla's layoff announcement will affect about 3.5% of the total workforce, adding that the actual number is "not super material." Salaries make up about two-thirds of Tesla employees, he said.

"I think a year from now; we're going to have more employees, both in terms of salaries and, of course, by the hour," Musk said.

On Sunday, two former Tesla employees filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of violating US federal laws on "collective layoffs."

Under the Workers Adaptation and Retraining Notification Act, employers must provide 60 days notice of mass layoffs or factory closures. Musk, the world's richest man, denied the claims on Tuesday, saying he "has no power."

"This is a small lawsuit with small consequences," he said. "Anything Tesla-related makes headlines, whether a bike accident or something much more severe.

Musk's attitude towards workers has recently come under the spotlight. He recently told Tesla employees they must be in or out of the office at least 40 hours a week.