Rachel Rasmussen is suing Boeing for on-the-job harassment. She worked at Boeing from 1989 to 2024. For 20 years she was known as a man and used a male name.
In 2007, Rasmussen was promoted to crane mechanic. Rasmussen began her transition in 2010, which, according to Rasmussen, changed the dynamics on the all-male team as she started to be harassed by the team.
Rasmussen claims she could no longer subject herself to the harassment and the inaction by Boeing, so she left her crane mechanic position in November 2021 to a lower-paying non-union job on Boeing’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team.
Rachel Rusmussen pictured (3rd from left) with Boeing Crane Mechanic team in 2015.
In January of 2024, Boeing laid her off. Rachel Rasmussen claims she applied for other jobs across Boeing—at least 29 other positions—but the company stonewalled her.
Rasmussen claims she was harassed for over a decade and at one point, a Boeing employee sexually assaulted her by shoving a broomstick between her legs, resulting in a one day suspension.
Rachel Rasmussen is being represented by Jay Free of Bloom Law PLLC. Free adds, “Boeing falsely claims they are creating a culture of inclusion, but this lawsuit shows the real Boeing, one where anti-gay and sexist culture thrives, causing real harm to working people here in Washington state.”
Rachel Rasmussen added, “I loved my job as a crane mechanic, and I worked hard to change the culture from the inside so everyone could enjoy an inclusive non-retaliatory workplace. After a decade of harassment and internal systems not working, it is my hope this lawsuit can bring meaningful change to both Boeing and all Washington workplaces. Every employee should feel safe and respected on the job.”
The complaint for damages document can be viewed here (1mb PDF).
February 29, 2024
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