Rocket maker SpaceX is accused in a new lawsuit of denying promotions to female production employees and paying them less than their male colleagues in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment by managers.
Michelle Doupak, a production coordinator at SpaceX’s headquarters in California, alleges in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in state court that company officials, including President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell, have been harassing women. He said the company ignored complaints from him and other employees about widespread bias.
Dopak also said her married boss pressured her into having a sexual relationship, which resulted in her becoming pregnant.
He offered her $100,000 to have an abortion, which she declined, but then SpaceX transferred $3.7 million in stock options out of the plaintiff’s name to avoid paying child support to the plaintiff. Mr. Dorpak alleges that he allowed this.
The lawsuit alleges that SpaceX is trying to force Dopak to resign by overloading him, even though he is entitled to benefits to help him cope with work-related stress. are doing.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Dorpak accuses SpaceX of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and paying him less than men in comparable jobs, in violation of California law.
She is seeking unspecified damages.
The lawsuit comes as SpaceX is already battling a proposed class action lawsuit filed in October that claims the company pays and promotes women and minorities less than white men.
Meanwhile, California civil rights agencies are investigating complaints by a group of former engineers who claim the company tolerated rampant discrimination and harassment against female employees.
SpaceX also faces a separate lawsuit in which the U.S. Labor Relations Board claims the same engineer was wrongfully fired for distributing a letter accusing founder and CEO Elon Musk of sex discrimination. are doing.
The company denies any wrongdoing and filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the lawsuit, alleging that the composition of the labor committee and internal enforcement procedures violate the constitution.
