Eight former SpaceX engineers have filed a lawsuit against billionaire Elon Musk and the company, accusing them of a culture that allows sexual harassment, gender discrimination and unfair dismissal. The former employees had also filed complaints with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) about alleged retaliation by SpaceX for speaking out about what was happening.
"Musk knowingly and intentionally created an unwelcome hostile work environment by displaying and allowing in the workplace derogatory sexual images, memes, and comments that demean women and/or the LGBTQ+ community," the eight former engineers wrote in their deposition.
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The plaintiffs said some of them were harassed by other SpaceX colleagues who “mimicked Musk’s relevant posts” and felt comfortable doing such things because of their boss’s behavior. The former engineers wrote that this “created an extremely uncomfortable hostile work environment.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Musk is “running his company through the dark ages – treating women as sex objects to be evaluated by their bra size, bombarding the workplace with obscene sexual puns, and telling anyone who doesn’t like that to look elsewhere.”
The group sent an open letter in 2022, highlighting Elon Musk's alleged problematic behavior, and said they were fired in retaliation for the move. The complaint alleges that when a SpaceX human resources manager suggested the company conduct a formal investigation before making any decisions, Musk responded, "I don't care — fire them."
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Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and CEO, defended the company in comments to the Wall Street Journal, in an article detailing many of the former employees' accusations.
Shotwell told the Journal that his report painted “a completely misleading narrative” of the company and that “Elon is one of the best people I know.” However, the company is investigating the allegations and taking action accordingly.
The engineers' case with the National Labor Relations Board has been put on hold by an appeals court, despite the board agreeing that SpaceX illegally retaliated against them. SpaceX sued the agency in January, calling its structure "unconstitutional.".
The lawsuit follows a report released Tuesday detailing allegations that Musk had sexual relations with two SpaceX employees and asked a third to have his babies. When she refused, Musk allegedly denied her a raise and complained about her performance at the company.
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Other incidents involving other strains have also been reported.
Reports of inappropriate behavior at the company have been circulating since 2021. Former employees have described a “culture of sexual harassment” at SpaceX, which Elon Musk allowed. The plaintiffs have cited lewd comments and physical contact. Musk has previously been accused of sexual harassment by a SpaceX flight attendant , and earlier in 2024, a SpaceX lawsuit alleged repeated instances of gender discrimination and basic safety failures.
If the allegations are true and the court rules in favor of the employees, the potential legal consequences for Elon Musk and SpaceX could include significant monetary damages to the victims. If the court finds that there was sexual harassment and retaliation, those damages could be quite high, covering moral damages, loss of income and legal fees.
Additionally, SpaceX could face severe penalties from regulators .These penalties could include fines and orders to implement new policies and procedures to prevent similar behavior in the future.
Elon Musk may also face personal legal consequences, such as criminal prosecution if it is proven that he had an active role in the alleged acts, while SpaceX's reputation could suffer serious damage.
Source: www.engadget.com
