NewsSpaceX under fire: Labor Board indicts Musk's company over alleged unlawful dismissals

SpaceX under fire: Labor Board indicts Musk's company over alleged unlawful dismissals

Elon Musk's SpaceX has been accused of violating labor laws.
Elon Musk's SpaceX has been accused of violating labor laws.
Images source: © Getty Images | Michael M Santiago/Getty Images

8:16 AM EST, January 4, 2024

As "Reuters" reported, the case started in November 2022 when eight SpaceX employees were let go. These individuals filed charges with the American labor board against SpaceX, claiming their dismissal was due to their involvement in a group critiquing Elon Musk.

The employees composed a letter to SpaceX management, slamming Musk by stating that his behavior brought disgrace to the company. The letter highlighted "a series of Musk's tweets from 2020, several of which had a sexual undertone," they wrote. According to the employees, Musk's statements did not adhere to the company's diversity policy, prompting them to ask SpaceX to denounce them in the letter.

Labor board accuses SpaceX

In the allegations presented to the American Labor Board, these employees claimed they were called to answer the letter. Furthermore, they alleged that SpaceX threatened to dismiss and discredit them. One employee said SpaceX has a "toxic culture" permitting harassment.

The American Labor Board lodged a complaint, which led to an inquiry into whether SpaceX had violated employee rights derived from federal labor law, as Reuters reported. If no agreement is reached, the administrative court will address the case. The hearing is set for March 5th.

If found guilty of violating labor laws, the employees may get reinstated and potentially a refund of their salaries. Furthermore, Reuters adds that if this is the case, the U.S. giant could potentially "face more serious consequences in upcoming cases".

Related content