In a recent development, SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk have been sued by eight engineers who claim they were unlawfully fired for raising concerns about alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women. The lawsuit, filed in state court in Los Angeles, includes four women and four men, all of whom assert that Musk ordered their terminations in 2022.

The engineers' dismissals reportedly followed the circulation of a letter in which they criticized Musk as a "distraction and embarrassment" and urged company executives to disavow his sexually-charged remarks on social media. According to the lawyers representing the engineers, Anne Shaver and Laurie Burgess, the lawsuit alleges that Musk's behavior fostered a "pervasively sexist culture" at SpaceX. They further state that female engineers were subject to routine harassment, sexist comments, and their concerns about workplace culture were disregarded.

The lawsuit asserts that the engineers' emotional wellbeing was disrupted by Musk's actions, describing them as offensive and distressing. The plaintiffs seek to hold SpaceX leadership accountable and bring about changes in workplace policies. Paige Holland-Thielen, one of the plaintiffs, expressed hope that the lawsuit would inspire colleagues to continue their fight for a better workplace environment.

SpaceX has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the engineers were lawfully terminated for violating company policies. The company has not responded to requests for comment at this time. It is worth noting that the eight engineers are already involved in a case with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), arguing that their firings violated their rights to advocate for improved working conditions under US labor law.

SpaceX, in a separate lawsuit, has challenged the NLRB case, alleging that the labor board's internal enforcement proceedings violate the US constitution. An appeals court recently placed the NLRB case on hold while it considers SpaceX's bid to block the proceedings pending the outcome of their lawsuit.

The newly filed lawsuit accuses SpaceX and Musk of retaliation, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and sex discrimination, in violation of California law. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction to prevent SpaceX from engaging in what they claim is unlawful conduct.

As this legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how the courts will address the allegations made by the engineers and determine the appropriate course of action.