'Retire or die': Former SpaceX engineer accuses Elon Musk's firm of age discrimination

62-year-old John Johnson, who served as an engineer in Elon Musk’s X has accused company of discrimination. Hired in 2018 as an optics engineer, complained of a discriminatory workplace despite working 10-12 hours every day for seven days a week at company’s office in California. Johnson me se revelations in a blog where he claimed that he was being pushed to quit his job. 

'He might retire or die'

In his explosive blog, Johnson wrote that he underwent physical rapy due to his injured back in early 2019 but mand t to miss his work. He, however, needed surgery for injury and tified his manr about taking a few days off. former X engineer alleged that company, without informing him, hired a young engineer to take over his supplier development role. 

"se young men in ir twenties and thirties descended upon me right before my surgery, scheduling meetings for a downlo on everything I was doing in those areas," Johnson wrote, claiming that those hired as his replacement were far less experienced than him. He also alleged that his complaint to human resources was labelled as 'misunderstandings' following which he said that discrimination is a big part of workplace. Johnson also revealed that his Starlink manr h said that he 'might retire or die', according to an engineer hired to take over his role. 

"It became clear that company was pushing me to leave. In June 2022, after promised alternative work did t materialize, and I was subjected to public humiliation of being questioned about my very presence in a meeting I was invited to, as well as my ability to “deliver,” I submitted my resignation," he wrote.

Johnson is also said to have approached X President Gwynne Shotwell who assured him of proper action but subsequently, did t hear from her. tably, this is t first time X has been accused of having a toxic work culture as several employees, including women, have alleged facing sexual harassment.

Elon Musk, who owns multiple companies, is kwn to demand 'hardcore' work ethic from his employees, which is a reason many choose to leave. This was seen after his Twitter takeover, following which he tified his employees to eir be rey for hard work or find ar job.