SpaceX has been accused of unlawfully terminating eight employees who criticized its CEO, Elon Musk. An open letter sent by the employees in 2022 expressed concerns about the work environment, referring to Musk as a "distraction and embarrassment." The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint alleges that SpaceX violated federal labor laws by firing the workers and interrogating them. Lawyers for one of the former employees accused SpaceX of fostering a "toxic culture" where harassment is tolerated. If the NLRB finds that the firings violated labor law, it can order reinstatement and back pay for the workers. SpaceX is scheduled for a hearing on March 5.
This is not the first time Musk's companies have faced allegations of violating employees' rights. Both X (formerly known as Twitter) and Tesla, another Musk company, have also dealt with NLRB complaints in the past. In addition, the US Department of Justice previously sued SpaceX, alleging discrimination in its hiring practices.