Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Company is Called a ‘Toxic’ Workplace

While Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is thrilled and excited about his space company Blue Origin, workers may not feel the same way.

According to an essay posted on Thursday by 21 current and former employees, the company has been described as a “toxic” workplace and claims that the company pushes its workers to sign strict nondisclosure agreements.

The essay also claims the company stifles internal feedback and disregards safety concerns. Additionally Blue Origin allegedly creates a sexist work environment for women.

Blue Origin responded that it “has no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind” and is “promptly” investigating claims of misconduct.

The essay, which was published on the Lioness website, was led by former Blue Origin head of employee communications Alexandra Abrams. “I’ve gotten far enough away from it that I’m not afraid enough to let them silence me anymore,” Abrams said in a CBS interview that aired Thursday.

Blue Origin vice president of communications Linda Mills told CNBC that Abrams was “dismissed for cause” in 2019 “after repeated warnings for issues involving federal export control regulations.”

“Blue Origin has no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind,” Mills added in her statement. “We provide numerous avenues for employees, including a 24/7 anonymous hotline, and will promptly investigate any new claims of misconduct.”

Abrams acknowledged in the CBS interview that she was fired by Blue Origin. She told “CBS Mornings” she was “shocked” when she was fired. She had been told by her manager that “Bob and I can’t trust you anymore,” referring to CEO Bob Smith.

The essay has claimed that “workforce gender gaps are common in the space industry” but claimed that “at Blue Origin they also manifest in a particular brand of sexism.”

The essay highlights that a former executive allegedly was demeaning toward women, “calling them ‘baby girl,’ ‘baby doll,’ or ‘sweetheart’ and inquiring about their dating lives.”

“It took him physically groping a female subordinate for him to finally be let go,” the essay alleges.

In regards to safety concerns, the essay writes that “some of the engineers who ensure the very safety of the rockets” were either forced out or paid off after internally voicing criticisms.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to CNBC that it is reviewing the safety concerns raised within the essay.

“The FAA takes every safety allegation seriously,” the regulator said.

“When Jeff Bezos flew to space this July, we did not share his elation. Instead, many of us watched with an overwhelming sense of unease. Some of us couldn’t bear to watch at all,” the essay reads. “Competing with other billionaires—and ‘making progress for Jeff’— seemed to take precedence over safety concerns that would have slowed down the schedule.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.