SpaceX Employee With Crohn's Disease Canned Over Excessive Bathroom Use
Surveillance, bullying, and the timing of bathroom breaks are all in a day's work at SpaceX. That's according to Douglas Altshuler, 58, a Seattle man who is suing Elon Musk's rocket company, his former employer, alleging a litany of wild OSHA violations at the company and personal discrimination on account of his Crohn's disease.
The chronic bowel disease causes frequent and unexpected, uh, launches—as often as every 35 minutes, or 14 times within an eight-hour shift. Despite the company's awareness of his medical condition, and a medical note from his doctor, Altshuler was served a formal disciplinary notice about spending more than 10 minutes in the bathroom, The Independent reports.
However, Altshuler's federal discrimination lawsuit alleges significant and serious workplace legal violations, suggesting he may have been terminated for raising issues with the company's practices.
These include allegations that rocket parts were dried in ovens used by employees to cook their meals and that staff were retaliated against for taking time off following workplace injuries. Altshuler, who worked as part of the customer support team, underwent medical leave following 'chemical exposure' and claims that his termination came shortly after notifying OSHA of safety concerns in the workplace.
Altshuler had his phone calls monitored, his movements in the office tracked with an 'electronic timekeeping system,' and was denied meal breaks after five hours of work. He also did not receive the additional compensation he was entitled to for working overtime and claims he was 'bullied and threatened' throughout his professional tenure.
Altshuler's disability led to a series of back-and-forth communications with his superiors, resulting in what he described as a 'threatening and argumentative' performance review before ultimately being fired in January.
The filing offers a window into the work practices of the company headed by Musk, who has been outspoken in his celebration of excessive work conditions. 'DOGE is working 120 hours a week,' Musk tweeted in March. He has also previously railed against working from home, something he described as 'morally wrong' in 2023.
It's not the first time that SpaceX's workplace practices have been scrutinized. In 2023, Reuters revealed there had been at least 600 unreported workplace-related injuries at the company in less than a decade. These included crushed limbs, amputations, and even one death.
Altshuler himself is seeking compensation and damages at a cost to be determined by a jury.
The Daily Beast has reached out to both SpaceX and Altshuler's attorneys for comment.
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