To make matters worse, Vandermeyden claims that management retaliated whenever she brought up workplace sexism. Higher-ups would say that she could only get a promotion if she hit targets loftier than those expected from men, and that she wasn't given overtime pay or breaks (including meal breaks) when she was in a sales role. She also maintains that she was punished for whistleblowing when she raised the alarm over cars knowingly sold with defects.

We've reached out to Tesla for a response. In a statement to the Guardian, it didn't directly address the points mentioned lawsuit but did say that it believes in "fostering an inclusive workplace" and that there's "more we can do to promote diversity." It also downplayed Vandermeyden's case, maintaining that there would always be a "small number" of people who make claims against the EV company.

As with Uber, the question isn't so much whether or not Tesla understands the importance of fighting sexism as whether it's willing to implement deep structural reforms that would help prevent and punish sexist behavior. Right now, it's not clear that this is the case -- there's no mention of organizational and policy decisions that would let women like Vandermeyden feel safe and valued.

Update: Tesla now directly disputes Vandermeyden's claims. A spokesperson tells us that an independent investigator determined the discrimination and harassment claims "have not been substantiated." Also, it maintains that the engineer's advancement into "at least one other role" is proof that it rewards skilled workers of all stripes. You can read the full statement below. There's no guarantee that the court will agree with Tesla's findings, but it's important to take them into account.