A chief executive of rocket maker SpaceX said she “personally” believed sexual harassment allegations against Elon Musk, the company’s founder and chief executive, were false, according to a company-wide email obtained by The New York Times.
In the email, sent Friday, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and chief operating officer, said she had worked closely with Mr. Musk for 20 years and “never saw or heard anything resembling these allegations.” She added: “Anyone who knows Elon like me knows that he would never perform or condone this alleged inappropriate behavior.”
Ms Shotwell spoke last week about a Business Insider article that said Mr Musk suggested a flight attendant get a sexual massage on a flight to London in 2016. He also exposed himself to the valet and offered her a horse, according to the article. , the details of which have not been independently verified by The New York Times.
The unknown woman hired an employment lawyer in 2018 and sent a complaint to 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 the claims.
Mr Musk said on Twitter last week that the allegations “completely false†
A SpaceX spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about Ms. Shotwell’s email, previously reported by CNBC. Two people who saw the memo shared it with The Times.
Read Ms. Shotwell’s email to associates below:
SpaceX Team-
I want to jump right into the story where our company and our CEO are mentioned with serious allegations. Let me be clear – SpaceX will not tolerate harassment of any kind – I say zero tolerance. We believe that everyone at SpaceX deserves to be treated with respect. And any allegation of harassment is taken very seriously, carelessly of who is involved. HR thoroughly investigates all claims brought 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 HR representative.
Admittedly, this is a difficult topic to navigate. It’s normal to have questions and want a definitive answer. For privacy reasons, I will never comment on legal matters related to employment matters. What I can share, however, is that Elon has made a public statement via Twitter that the allegations are completely untrue. Personally, I believe the allegations are false; 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 me knows that he would never perform or condone this alleged inappropriate behavior.
I believe SpaceX is an extraordinary place to work thanks to you. And I remain committed to making sure it is a place where all employees can do their best.
