Female Engineer Sues Tesla For “Pervasive Harassment”

A female engineer is suing Tesla, saying the company ignored her complaints about “pervasive harassment,” and in retribution paid her less than men doing similar work, and promoted men around her. AJ Vandermeyden, who still works at Tesla, draws a portrait of a workplace hostile to women. Her dedication to Tesla’s mission is what’s keeping her on, she says. “Until somebody stands up, nothing is going to change,” she told The Guardian. “I’m an advocate of Tesla. I really do believe they are doing great things. That said, I can’t turn a blind eye if there’s something fundamentally wrong going on.” Vandermeyden filed her complaint last fall, claiming that she experienced “unwelcome and pervasive harassment by men on the factory floor including but not limited to inappropriate language, whistling, and catcalls.” She also says Tesla denied her overtime pay, rest breaks, and meal periods. Tesla told The Guardian that it has hired a “neutral third party” to investigate the accusations, and that after an “exhaustive review of the facts,” concluded that Vandermeyden’s “claims of gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation have not been substantiated.”