SpaceX fired a group of employees who have been working on an open letter to corporate leaders criticizing CEO Elon Musk on Friday, and labour lawyers now think the firings may have violated US labour law.
The letter, which was shared on Thursday, called for better anti-harassment procedures at SpaceX as well as Musk’s Twitter presence to be more restricted. Several staff were let go immediately after the letter was published.
It’s unclear whether any of the sacked workers will file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). However, if they do, lawyers believe they will have a solid case. “To be covered, an action has to be concerted (certainly the case here) and it has to relate to working conditions, says Charlotte Garden, a law professor.
The most challenging thing of revenge lawsuits is frequently establishing that an employee was dismissed in punishment for speaking up, but SpaceX has made it simple to demonstrate the link.
SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell made it clear in a message to staff following the firings that the employees were fired directly because of their involvement with the letter, which she described as “overreaching activism.” Even if SpaceX tries to deny it, the timing of the firings – less than 24 hours after the letter — strengthens the connection difficult to dismiss.
To read our blog on “Musk is being sued for $258 billion for allegedly operating a Dogecoin pyramid scheme,” click here
