A top executive at rocket maker SpaceX said she “personally” believes the sexual harassment allegations against Elon MuskThe company’s founder and chief executive officer, was untrue, according to a company-wide email, obtained by The New York Times.
In the email, sent on Friday, Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief executive officer of SpaceX, said she has worked closely with Mr Musk for 20 years and has “never seen or heard anything like these allegations”. She added, “Anyone who knows Elon like I do, knows he would never commit or tolerate this alleged inappropriate behavior.”
Mrs. Shotwell dealt with an article by Business Insider Last week, he said that Mr. Musk asked a flight attendant for a sex massage during a flight to London in 2016. He also showed himself to the flight attendant and offered her a horse, according to the post. reported, the details of which were not independently verified by The New York Times.
The unidentified woman hired an employment attorney in 2018 and filed a complaint with SpaceX’s human resources department, according to Business Insider. SpaceX settled later that year, paying the woman $250,000 in exchange for a promise not to sue over the claims.
Mr Musk last week said on Twitter that the accusations were “completely untrue. ”
A spokesperson for SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment on Ms Shotwell’s email, which was previously reported by CNBC. Two people who viewed the memo shared it with The Times.
Read Ms. Shotwell’s email to staff below:
SpaceX Team-
I would like to address directly the story that deals with the company and our CEO with serious allegations. Let me be clear – SpaceX does not tolerate harassment of any kind – I say NO tolerance. We firmly believe that everyone at SpaceX deserves to be treated with respect. And all allegations of harassment are taken very seriously, notwithstanding of the people involved. Human Resources thoroughly investigates all complaints to their attention and takes appropriate disciplinary action. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or our workplace, please contact me, your manager, or your human resources representative.
Admittedly, this is a difficult topic to navigate. It is natural to have questions and to want definitive answers. For privacy reasons, I will never comment on any employment related legal matters. What I can share, however, is that Elon has publicly stated via Twitter that the allegations are completely untrue. I personally believe the allegations are untrue; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and have never seen or heard anything similar to these allegations. Anyone who knows Elon like I do, knows he would never commit or tolerate this alleged inappropriate behavior.
I believe that SpaceX is an extraordinary place to work for you. And I remain committed to making sure it’s a place where all employees can do their best work.
