NEW DELHI: Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup Neuralink is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who claims she was forced to work with monkeys carrying the Herpes B virus under unsafe conditions and was later fired after announcing her pregnancy. The complaint, filed on Friday in a California state court, adds to growing scrutiny of the company’s treatment of animals and workplace practices.
The lawsuit by Lindsay Short, a former employee at Neuralink’s Fremont, California, site, alleges that the company created a hostile work environment filled with unrealistic deadlines, blame, and shaming. According to Bloomberg, Short, who joined Neuralink in August 2022, was fired after informing her supervisors of her pregnancy.
In her complaint, Short alleges that she was made to work with monkeys that carried the Herpes B virus, a potentially deadly pathogen, without adequate protective gear. On one occasion, she says, a monkey scratched her through her glove, and in another incident, she was scratched on her face. The company allegedly threatened “severe repercussions” when she sought medical attention for these injuries.