Deaf Tesla Employee Fired After Complaining About Heat Made Hearing Aids Malfunction

Hans Kohls, a deaf technician at the Texas Gigafactory, has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging the company fired him in violation of the ADA after he requested a transfer from the high-temperature casting department, where his hearing aids failed due to the extreme heat.

November 13, 2025: Electric vehicle giant Tesla is once again facing legal scrutiny over its workplace practices, as a deaf employee, Hans Kohls, has filed a lawsuit alleging he was wrongfully terminated after seeking a reasonable accommodation for his disability.

The complaint centers on the extreme working conditions at the Texas Gigafactory’s casting department, where molten aluminum reaches temperatures exceeding $660^\circ \text{C}$ ($1,220^\circ \text{F}$). Kohls, a highly-rated technician, claims the intense heat caused his hearing aids to malfunction, leaving him unable to hear crucial safety signals, alarms, and alerts.

Fired After Requesting Transfer

According to the lawsuit, Kohls requested a transfer out of the casting department and into a vacant position he was qualified for—and had previously excelled in—under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Instead of engaging in an accommodation discussion, the Elon Musk-owned company allegedly fired him.

Kohls’ attorney, Andrew Rozynski, stated that the facts of the case were “stark and troubling,” asserting that his client’s request was basic.

Andrew Rozynski: “Tesla had a highly qualified employee who requested the most basic accommodation under the ADA, reassignment to a vacant position where he’d already demonstrated success. Instead of complying with the law, they fired him within nine days and told him he was being ‘medically separated.'”

Allegations of Deception and Retaliation

The lawsuit claims that Kohls, who graduated from the prestigious Tesla START training program with a top distinction (95.7% grade), was deliberately assigned to the casting department without being informed that the heat conditions far exceeded standard industrial levels.

Furthermore, the complaint alleges that Tesla lied about the availability of open positions that Kohls could have filled, having previously worked successfully in cooler departments like Vehicle Validation and the Drive Unit.

Kohls is seeking reinstatement to an appropriate position within Tesla, in addition to front pay, back pay, lost wages, benefits, and significant compensatory and punitive damages, claiming Tesla’s actions caused him severe emotional distress, anxiety, and humiliation in violation of the ADA and Texas state labor code.