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Eight engineers have filed a lawsuit against SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk, alleging they were wrongfully terminated for raising concerns about sexual harassment and gender discrimination within the company.
As reported by Reuters, the group of four women and four men claims that Musk ordered their dismissal in 2022 after they circulated a letter criticizing him as a "distraction and embarrassment" and urging the company to repudiate sexually explicit remarks he made on social media. This legal action has been initiated in a state court in Los Angeles.
According to the plaintiffs, who have initiated legal proceedings in state court in Los Angeles, Musk's tweets contributed to a "pervasively sexist culture" at SpaceX. One tweet from 2022 suggested to the former CEO of YouTube: “if you touch my wiener, you can have a horse."
The lawsuit details that female engineers at SpaceX were frequently subjected to harassment and derogatory comments, with senior engineers allegedly using euphemisms for sexual acts and male anatomy when discussing rocket components.
The lawsuit states these actions “had the foreseeable and actual result of offending, causing distress, and intruding upon Plaintiffs’ well-being so as to disrupt their emotional tranquility in the workplace."
SpaceX has yet to comment on the lawsuit, but the company has previously denied any misconduct, arguing that the 2022 letter was disruptive and that the engineers were fired for breaching company policies. They also asserted that Musk was not involved in the termination decisions.
One of the plaintiffs, Paige Holland-Thielen, released a statement via her attorneys, expressing hope that the lawsuit would lead to accountability and policy changes at SpaceX.
"We hope that this lawsuit encourages our colleagues to stay strong and to keep fighting for a better workplace," she said.
The engineers are also involved in a case with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that their firings were illegal under U.S. labor laws protecting the right to advocate for improved working conditions.
SpaceX has filed its own lawsuit, claiming that the labor board's enforcement actions violate the U.S. Constitution. Recently, a U.S. appeals court put the NLRB case on hold while it considers SpaceX's request to block the proceedings.
The engineers’ lawsuit accuses SpaceX and Musk of retaliation and wrongful termination under California law, along with allegations of sexual harassment and sex discrimination.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and an injunction to prevent SpaceX from continuing its allegedly unlawful practices.
