A high govt on the rocket maker SpaceX mentioned she “personally” believed that sexual harassment accusations towards Elon Musk, the corporate’s founder and chief govt, had been false, in keeping with a companywide electronic mail, which was obtained by The New York Occasions.
Within the electronic mail, which was despatched Friday, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and chief working officer, mentioned she had labored carefully with Mr. Musk for 20 years and had “by no means seen nor heard something resembling these allegations.” She added, “Anybody who is aware of Elon like I do, is aware of he would by no means conduct or condone this alleged inappropriate habits.”
Ms. Shotwell was addressing an article by Insider final week that mentioned a flight attendant mentioned Mr. Musk propositioned her for a sexual therapeutic massage throughout a flight to London in 2016. The flight attendant mentioned he additionally uncovered himself to her and provided her a horse, in keeping with the article, the main points of which weren’t independently verified by The New York Occasions.
The unidentified girl employed an employment lawyer in 2018 and despatched a criticism to SpaceX’s human assets division, in keeping with Insider. SpaceX settled later that 12 months, paying the girl $250,000 in trade for a promise to not sue over the claims.
Mr. Musk final week mentioned on Twitter that the accusations had been “utterly untrue.”
A SpaceX spokesman didn’t reply to a request for remark about Ms. Shotwell’s electronic mail, which was earlier reported by CNBC. Two individuals who noticed the memo shared it with The Occasions.
Learn Ms. Shotwell’s electronic mail to workers under:
SpaceX team-
I wish to immediately deal with the story that mentions our firm and CEO with severe allegations. Let me be clear — SpaceX doesn’t tolerate harassment of any sort — I’m saying ZERO tolerance. We firmly imagine everybody at SpaceX deserves to be handled with respect. And each accusation of harassment is taken very severely, regardless of who’s concerned. HR totally investigates all claims which are dropped at their consideration and takes applicable disciplinary motion. If in case you have any questions or considerations about this coverage or our office, please attain out to me, your supervisor or your HR rep.
Admittedly it is a troublesome subject to navigate. It’s pure to have questions and to need definitive reply. For privateness causes I’ll by no means touch upon any authorized issues involving employment points. Nonetheless, what I can share is that Elon has made a public assertion by way of Twitter that the allegations are completely unfaithful. Personally, I imagine the allegations to be false; not as a result of I work for Elon, however as a result of I’ve labored carefully with him for 20 years and by no means seen nor heard something resembling these allegations. Anybody who is aware of Elon like I do, is aware of he would by no means conduct or condone this alleged inappropriate habits.
I imagine SpaceX is a unprecedented place to work due to you. And I stay dedicated to making sure it’s a spot the place all workers can do their greatest work.
