Douglas Altshuler, a 58-year-old former SpaceX employee, has filed a federal lawsuit against the aerospace company and its CEO, Elon Musk, alleging wrongful termination due to his chronic medical condition, Crohn’s disease.
Altshuler claims that his frequent and urgent need for bathroom breaks, a symptom of his condition, led to mistreatment at work and ultimately resulted in his dismissal. The lawsuit raises concerns about workplace discrimination based on chronic medical conditions and the level of accommodation afforded to employees with disabilities.
According to the lawsuit, Altshuler informed his supervisors about his medical condition and provided a doctor's note. Despite this, he alleges that his bathroom usage was monitored and timed, and he faced penalties if he exceeded a 10-minute break. The lawsuit also alleges broader regulatory breaches, including unsafe workplace practices such as drying rocket parts in ovens used for food, retaliation against injured employees, and denial of meal and overtime compensation.
Altshuler further claims that his phone calls were monitored, office movements tracked, and that he was threatened and bullied during performance reviews. His termination reportedly occurred after he reported safety concerns to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Altshuler is seeking compensation and damages as determined by a jury. The case has drawn attention to SpaceX’s employment practices and legal responsibilities under disability discrimination laws. It also adds to a growing list of lawsuits against Musk and his companies, including previous cases involving allegations of disability discrimination at X (formerly Twitter).
SpaceX has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
