Did an Air Taxi Startup and Hyundai Retaliate After a Female Executive Raised Misconduct and Bias Concerns?

In Cooper v. Supernal LLC, a former executive alleges she was subjected to gender discrimination and sexual harassment, then faced retaliation after raising concerns about workplace culture and what she viewed as unethical business practices. In Orange County Superior Court, a case has been filed alleging marginalization, unequal pay, exclusion from important meetings, and adverse actions after she complained internally. The case is still pending, and the court hasn’t ruled on whether the claims are valid.

Case: Diana Cooper v. Supernal LLC (Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Motor Company, Does 1-10)

Court: California Superior Court, Orange County

Case No.: Pending (not publicly located in available sources)

The Plaintiff: Cooper v. Supernal LLC

Diana Cooper is the plaintiff in this case. She is described as an early hire at Supernal, joining the company in 2020 as one of its first employees and being recruited for her expertise in emerging aviation policy. Cooper alleges that she faced harassment, marginalization, and underpayment during her time at the company. She claims she was paid less than her male colleagues and was encouraged to leave with promises of advancement that never materialized. Cooper also claims that she raised concerns internally about both workplace culture and business representations. As a result, she faced escalating exclusion and retaliation.

Who Are the Defendants in the Case?

The defendants are Supernal LLC, Hyundai Motor America, and Hyundai Motor Company (along with Does 1-10). Supernal LLC is an advanced air mobility company based in Irvine. The company is developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi in affiliation with Hyundai. Additionally, Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Company are allegedly connected to Supernal’s operations and leadership oversight in ways relevant to the labor law complaint.

Cooper v. Supernal: Considering a Brief History of the Case

Following concerns raised about an overly optimistic technology timeline and broader issues regarding corporate conduct and culture, Cooper was reportedly excluded from pivotal meetings and decision-making processes. Furthermore, her leadership position was allegedly removed in 2025. Cooper asserts that reporting the issue to Hyundai leadership did not safeguard her from further reprisal.

The Main Question in the Case

If an employee reports gender-based mistreatment, sexual harassment, or a hostile workplace culture, and also raises concerns about potentially unethical business practices, does California law protect that employee from retaliation? And if the employee is marginalized, excluded from key opportunities, or stripped of responsibilities after speaking up, can those actions support claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and related whistleblower violations?

The Allegations: Cooper v. Supernal LLC

The case included several different labor law violation allegations:

Discrimination: Cooper alleges she was marginalized in the workplace due to a pervasively misogynistic culture and that she was underpaid compared with male colleagues.

Sexual Harassment: The complaint claims Cooper was subjected to comments about her body and an incident involving sexually explicit content shown by a colleague.

Exclusion from Meetings and Career-Impacting Opportunities: Cooper alleges she was excluded from meetings with Hyundai executives, barred from certain travel (related to Hyundai leadership), and removed from a quarterly business review meeting with other senior female employees. After Cooper raised concerns, she alleges the exclusions intensified.

Retaliation: After raising concerns about business practices, Cooper alleges retaliation followed quickly.

FAQ: Cooper v. Supernal LLC

Q: What is workplace retaliation?

A: Retaliation generally refers to an employer taking adverse action against an employee because the employee engaged in a protected activity (reporting harassment, discrimination, suspected misconduct, etc). Retaliation may be obvious, but in some cases, the adverse actions can be more subtle.

Q: Do California protections apply when an employee complains internally?

A: Many retaliation and harassment protections can still apply to internal complaints, reports to leadership, or participation in workplace investigations. Consult an experienced labor law attorney to protect your rights.

Q: Can exclusion from meetings or removal from responsibilities count as retaliation?

A: It can, depending on the facts. Retaliation can include termination, demotion, or pay cuts, as well as actions that materially harm an employee’s job opportunities or working conditions.

Q: Is a company allowed to investigate a complaint while the employee continues working?

A: Yes, but employers generally need to avoid actions that could be viewed as punishing the reporting employee during or after the investigation.

Q: Did the defendant in the case actually violate labor law?

A: At the time this article was written, the case was still pending, and the claims listed are still just allegations until the court makes findings.

If you believe you experienced gender discrimination or sexual harassment at work, or you were punished for reporting misconduct or raising concerns about unethical practices, the employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. Contact one of our offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Riverside, or Chicago today to learn how to hold your employer accountable.