‘Tracked and monitored’: Elon Musk’s SpaceX hit with a whole new low – a bathroom breaks lawsuit

In a fresh legal headache, Elon Musk faces a bombshell lawsuit from Douglas Altshuler, a former SpaceX employee, who was allegedly fired for taking too many bathroom breaks because of a medical condition.

According to the federal lawsuit, filed in Seattle, the aerospace giant failed to accommodate a known medical issue, which is disability discrimination. The lawsuit also alleges SpaceX is guilty of workplace retaliation. Altshuler, a 58-year-old former SpaceX technician, has Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder that often requires sudden and urgent restroom use.

“Bullied” and “threatened” for bathroom breaks

According to the lawsuit, “In early 2024, Customer Support Supervisor Josiah Van Hoy (“Van Hoy”) began tracking Mr. Altshuler’s bathroom breaks and repeatedly criticized Plaintiff for using the bathroom.” That’s even though Altshuler provided a “doctor’s note requesting reasonable accommodation due to his disability.”

This ignored Altshuler’s legally protected right to reasonable accommodations, guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a result, the complaint says Altshuler’s supervisor “bullied” and “threatened to terminate him if he used the bathroom too often.”

Is there more to the story?

However, the lawsuit also alleges SpaceX targeted Altshuler for raising safety concerns within the company. According to court documents, he reported hazardous working conditions, including improper handling of dangerous chemicals and unsafe machinery, to both his supervisors and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The complaint adds, “On or about November 19, 2024 … Plaintiff reported to OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] that he had witnessed industrial parts being dried in the kitchen oven where employees cook their food. On or about December 19, 2024, Plaintiff sent an email … complaining about disability discrimination and retaliation.”

Altshuler claims this whistleblowing led to intensified workplace surveillance, including monitored phone calls and even physical tracking within the office. Ultimately, he says, this pressure campaign led to termination in retaliation for speaking up about workplace safety.

A toxic “Animal House”-style atmosphere

Altshuler’s lawsuit is not an isolated incident for SpaceX. In 2024, the company faced high-profile litigation from eight former employees. Those employees accused the aerospace company of fostering a toxic work culture, including allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. Like Altshuler, they claimed they were fired for raising concerns about SpaceX’s internal practices.

That year, eight former SpaceX employees filed a lawsuit against the company and CEO Elon Musk, alleging wrongful termination after they raised concerns about a hostile work environment. According to the AP, the lawsuit claims that Musk personally ordered their firings following the publication of an open letter criticizing the company’s culture and Musk’s behavior.

The plaintiffs describe a workplace rife with inappropriate conduct. That conduct included lewd comments and demeaning nicknames, contributing to a toxic atmosphere. They are seeking unspecified monetary damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and other harms.

As for Altshuler, he seeks compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, and punitive damages as determined by a jury. His case will likely be scrutinized in the media as it moves through the courts, setting a precedent for how high-pressure tech companies handle disability accommodations and workplace safety complaints.

For now, SpaceX remains tight-lipped on the matter. But with Musk at the helm, it’s only a matter of time before the billionaire weighs in on the controversy.