Eight former employees of SpaceX have filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and the company, accusing them of fostering a hostile work environment through sexual harassment and retaliation against those who complained.
The lawsuit, filed in a California court, alleges that Elon Musk, described as running SpaceX “in the dark ages,” perpetuated a workplace culture where women were objectified and subjected to demeaning treatment. The plaintiffs claim they were terminated after voicing concerns about sexual harassment within the company.
According to the legal documents, Musk is accused of injecting the workplace with sexually explicit photographs, memes, and commentary that degraded women and LGBTQ+ individuals. The suit further details incidents where crude and offensive names were reportedly used for company products and equipment, such as “Upskirt Camera” and “Fun Tunnel,” which referenced sexual acts.
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that SpaceX’s management, including Vice President of Human Resources Brian Bjelde and President Gwynne Shotwell, trivialized sexual misconduct in a video that was reportedly screened at an employee holiday party. The video allegedly featured jokes and scenes that mocked sexual harassment, contributing to a toxic workplace atmosphere.
The legal action also references a previous incident reported by Business Insider involving a settlement over allegations that Musk had sexually harassed an ex-SpaceX flight attendant.
In response to complaints within the company, the lawsuit claims that Musk disregarded concerns raised by employees, allegedly stating, “I don’t care ~fire them.” It also alleges that SpaceX’s management, including Shotwell, conveyed that employees should either accept Musk’s behavior or seek employment elsewhere.
The plaintiffs seek damages and changes to SpaceX’s workplace culture to prevent future incidents of harassment and retaliation.
Elon Musk has not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the lawsuit at the time of this report.
