Jury Rejects Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against Caltech by NASA Voyager Engineer

Defendant California Institute of Technology’s headquarters, spanning 177 acres and nicknamed “the Lab,” employs over 6,000 people. The Plaintiff’s office and the Voyager team operated out of Building 600, located two miles away.

In 1983, Plaintiff Thomas Weeks joined Defendant as an engineer for NASA’s Voyager Project, which explored outer planets using unmanned spacecraft. His work contributed to charting Uranus and Neptune, igniting his passion for space exploration. After leaving in 1990 to pursue filmmaking, Defendant requested Weeks to return in 2000 to lead the Voyager mission, becoming a key expert as the team dwindled to three engineers.

Between 2004 and 2006, the Plaintiff discovered software flaws threatening Voyager’s connection to Earth. He urged hiring the original developer to fix them, but leaders dismissed his recommendations. When his warnings proved correct, leadership ignored his concerns about inefficiencies and potential misuse of funds.

Over time, workplace harassment worsened. Supervisors undermined his expertise, while colleagues falsely accused him of errors. Despite resolving a critical Voyager 1 issue, he was unfairly blamed for the problem. By 2016, personal attacks, including defamatory rumors, excluded him from outreach efforts. In 2017, threats from a coworker left him fearing for his safety.

In 2018, after years of harassment, the Plaintiff took medical leave. HR mishandled his complaints, dismissing valid concerns as mere “banter” or “bullying.” Security escorted him from the premises during a meeting, despite his appropriate behavior. Attempts to escalate complaints to the Ethics department failed, as HR undermined his anonymity and dismissed his claims.

Between 2019 and 2020, the Plaintiff’s accommodation requests were consistently denied. HR accused him of “doctor shopping” and pressured him to accept disability. The Defendant banned him from the workplace, revoked his security clearance, and effectively blacklisted him from the aerospace industry. Despite medical clearance, he remains excluded and unable to return.

Under this disability discrimination lawsuit, Plaintiff requested compensatory damages for lost wages, benefits, future earnings, emotional distress, and medical costs. Additionally, the Plaintiff sought punitive damages to punish the Defendants and prevent future misconduct. The Plaintiff also asked for restitution of any unjust gains, reimbursement for legal fees, and interest before and after the judgment. Lastly, the Plaintiff sought any other relief the court found appropriate.

Defendant, California Institute of Technology, denied all allegations in Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint, arguing that Plaintiff failed to state a valid cause of action and was at fault for his own alleged damages. Defendant raised multiple defenses, including failure to exhaust administrative remedies, waiver, laches, and statute of limitations. It also argued that Plaintiff’s claims were barred by doctrines such as unclean hands, estoppel, and in pari delicto. Defendant further asserted that any alleged misconduct was either justified, privileged, or caused by Plaintiff’s own actions. Additionally, Defendant contended that Plaintiff’s claims were time-barred, lacked standing, and sought unjust enrichment. Finally, Defendant reserved the right to assert further defenses as discovery progresses.