Elon Musk-owned aerospace company SpaceX is subject to a legal action from former employee Douglas Altshuler.
He claimed that he was discriminated against and unlawfully dismissed due to his chronic bowel disease, Crohn's disease.
Altshuler has accused that despite submitting a medical professional’s note explaining his condition, the company’s supervisors tracked his restroom breaks, scolding the worker if he exceeded a 10-minute limit.
A report suggested that the employee was required to use the restroom every 35 to 45 minutes during his eight-hour shifts, sometimes up to 14 times every day.
SpaceX threatened it's employee with dismissal
Altshuler further claimed that when he requested workplace accommodations for his chronic condition, management rejected his request, calling it "unsubstantiated" and threatening him with dismissal from the company if he used the restroom too often.
It is pertinent to mention that SpaceX eventually terminated him, citing "deficient performance," which Altshuler disputes.
The lawsuit has accused Elon-Musk owned aerospace company of retaliation for his medical requirements and for breaching federal protection guidelines for differently abled employees.
In addition, SpaceX emphasised the wider labour violations, including rejecting proper meal breaks, and dangerous workplace conditions.
Altshuler further accused that he witnessed industrial parts being dried in a kitchen where employees prepared food.
Notably, it is not the first time the company has experienced controversy over employee treatment.
In 2022, SpaceX fired employees involved in drafting a letter reproaching the tech billionaire’s behaviour on X (formerly Twitter), citing that the letter induced stress on employees.
