Representative Image. (Image: Reuters)
New Delhi: Elon Musk’s automobile company Tesla, known for its environment friendly and futuristic cars, has fired a female engineer who had made claims of ‘unwanted and pervasive harassment’ in the organisation.
A report in The Verge said that AJ Vandermeyden was fired by the firm because her claims were found to be false. Vandermeyden’s lawyers, have, however argued that her firing amounts to retaliation. The report states that Gabrielle Toledano, Tesla’s new global head of HR, informed Vandermeyden of her termination personally.
Tesla confirmed to The Verge saying it had conducted an independent review of her claims. “Despite repeatedly receiving special treatment at the expense of others, Ms. Vandermeyden nonetheless chose to pursue a miscarriage of justice by suing Tesla and falsely attacking our company in the press,” a spokesperson said, as per the report. “After we carefully considered the facts on multiple occasions and were absolutely convinced that Ms. Vandermeyden’s claims were illegitimate, we had no choice but to end her employment at Tesla.”
Vandermeyden was hired by the electric carmaker in 2013 and last year, speaking to The Guardian, said that she was subject to ‘unwanted and pervasive harassment’ by the male staff mostly, which included inappropriate language, whistling and cat calls.
During that time, the report adds, she had said she was concerned that the lawsuit would result in her dismissal. Vandermeyden’s lawyers have argued that her dismissal only proves their case and that it was “clear retaliation”.
This is not the first time that Tesla has come under fire from its employees. In an article in The Guardian earlier this month, workers had shared how Musk’s appetite for electric cars was eating away their lives with grueling pressure and life changing injuries.
Source: News18