A former SpaceX employee, Douglas Altshuler, 58, has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the Elon Musk-owned company, alleging discriminatory and retaliatory actions related to his Crohn’s disease. The lawsuit, filed last month in Washington state, details Altshuler’s 18-month ordeal, which included alleged harassment over bathroom breaks, exposure to hazardous chemicals, denial of meal breaks, and unpaid overtime.
Altshuler joined SpaceX’s Redmond, Washington facility in June 2023 as a customer support representative. According to the lawsuit, initially obtained by The Independent, his employment was uneventful until early 2024. At that point, his supervisor allegedly began monitoring and criticizing his bathroom breaks. Despite Altshuler providing a doctor’s note explaining his Crohn’s disease and its associated need for frequent bathroom use, the supervisor’s scrutiny continued. The lawsuit asserts that Altshuler sought and received assurances of reasonable accommodation from two supervisors, but his direct supervisor continued to track his breaks and issue reprimands for absences exceeding 10 minutes. Altshuler claims he then escalated his concerns to higher management, which allegedly resulted in retaliatory performance reviews citing previously unmentioned deficiencies.
Despite a supervisor change in October 2024, Altshuler’s problems persisted. He alleges exposure to chemicals in November due to industrial parts being dried in the employee kitchen oven. Following his reports to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and a worker’s compensation claim, he alleges further retaliation, including threats of termination for excessive bathroom use. SpaceX Human Resources reportedly dismissed his retaliation concerns in early January, and he was subsequently fired on January 9, 2025, for “alleged deficient performance.”
This case follows previous accusations of mistreatment and retaliation at SpaceX. In January 2024, the National Labor Relations Board accused SpaceX of illegally firing eight employees who circulated a letter urging the company to address Elon Musk’s behavior, including alleged sexual harassment. These employees have filed their own lawsuit in California. Musk has also faced scrutiny for firing employees at X (formerly Twitter) since acquiring the platform.
Altshuler’s lawyers argue his termination constitutes disability discrimination and retaliation for advocating for his rights. He also alleges frequent denial of meal breaks and unpaid overtime. Clive Pontusson, a former trial attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, told The Independent that SpaceX’s actions are “egregious and in clear violation of the law.” Altshuler intends to pursue all available legal remedies.
MaagX reached out to SpaceX for comment but received no response by publication time.
