Man With Chronic Bowel Disease Sues Musk’s SpaceX for Allegedly Timing His Bathroom Breaks and Firing Him

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

A former SpaceX employee is suing the Elon Musk–owned aerospace company, alleging he was monitored, disciplined, and ultimately fired for using the bathroom too frequently due to his chronic medical condition.

Douglas Altshuler, 58, recently filed a federal lawsuit in California claiming he was discriminated against by Musk’s company because of his Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s is a gastrointestinal disease that can cause frequent and unexpected bowel movements.

In his lawsuit, which was obtained by The Independent, Altshuler laid out his need to use the restroom every 35 to 45 minutes during his eight-hour shifts.

The man said he used the restroom sometimes as many as 14 times a day, but provided SpaceX with a doctor’s note outlining his condition. Altshuler alleges despite the note, his supervisors began timing his bathroom breaks and reprimanded him if he was gone for longer than 10 minutes.

The lawsuit states that he was “threatened with termination” if he used the restroom too often. When he formally raised the issue with management, he said his request for a special accommodation was dismissed as “unsubstantiated.”

Altshuler was ultimately fired for what he said the company called “deficient performance.” In his lawsuit, he accuses SpaceX of retaliation. The suit also claims the company denied him proper meal breaks, underpaid him, and exposed employees to hazardous chemicals. In one instance, the complaint states that he witnessed industrial parts being dried inside a kitchen where staffers cooked meals, which Altshuler reported.

“Employees have the right to request accommodations for disabilities without fear of losing their jobs,” Altshuler attorney Clive Pontusson told The Independent. “They also have the right to report unsafe conditions without facing retaliation.”

Altshuler began working at SpaceX in 2023 and was fired last year.  He is seeking back pay and damages in an amount to be determined by a jury.

SpaceX has not commented on the suit.

The Mayo Clinic describes Crohn’s disease as “a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes swelling and irritation of the tissues, called inflammation, in the digestive tract.”

“This can lead to belly pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition,” the clinic adds.