Ex-SpaceX technician sues over alleged racial discrimination
L'Tavious Rice, who worked as a materials inspector at SpaceX, is suing the company for racial discrimination and wrongful termination.
He says he was fired on August 20, 2024, after being late because his young daughter needed a heart transplant and ongoing care.
Rice claims SpaceX only enforced strict attendance rules against him after he agreed to testify about a supervisor's misconduct.
Rice seeks $500,000 in damages; case awaiting further court action
Rice alleges that SpaceX's HR department singled him out—closely tracking his time-off requests and denying meal breaks—while white coworkers with similar attendance issues were let off the hook or had their records changed.
Despite these challenges, his lawyer says Rice kept working during his daughter's hospital stays and even outperformed others.
He's now seeking at least $500,000 in damages for emotional distress, lost pay, and legal costs.
The case is still awaiting further court action.