Ex-Silfab employee claims he was fired after ‘whisteblower’ call, lawsuit says
A former Silfab Solar employee at the controversial South Carolina solar company site being built in Fort Mill claims in a whisteblower lawsuit he was fired after contacting fire officials about safety conditions during construction, York County court records show.
Jason Rhodes alleges in the lawsuit he was a quality control technician for Silfab Solar Inc. until early this month when he was terminated.
The lawsuit alleging whisteblower violations, retaliatory discharge, wrongful discharge, and violation of state unfair trade practices was filed Tuesday in York County civil court. It names Silfab Solar Inc. and Silfab Solar of SC Inc. as defendants.
York County issued a stop work order against Silfab in late June after an inspection by county officials at the site over lack of a certificate of occupancy. A June 24 letter from York County Planning and Development Services cited Silfab for an array of violations that needed to be resolved, according to a copy of the letter The Herald received later as a public records request.
Silfab said in a statement to The Herald that the county’s concerns were resolved and implemented quickly. York County officials confirmed that work resumed in late June.
Yet Rhodes claims in the lawsuit he first told his supervisor and a Silfab director of operations on or about June 19 about “various safety matters, including that Silfab was working its employees within its plant warehouse without occupancy permit from York County.”
Rhodes alleges he then called York County officials on or about June 23, resulting in the “ unannounced surprise inspection, shut down, and temporary stop work orders issued against Silfab by the county of York.”
He said in the lawsuit he was let go from working at Silfab on July 7.
The lawsuit asks for actual, compensatory, and punitive damages.
Silfab denies the allegations, according to a statement provided by the company Wednesday.
“Silfab is currently reviewing the allegations and denies that the former employee’s termination was based on any reports he may have made and we plan to vigorously defend the suit,” it said.
The company intends to move forward with its Fort Mill plans, according to the statement. It reads:
“Silfab Solar continues to move forward to become one of the most advanced and safest solar assembly facilities in the country. It should be noted that Silfab worked cooperatively with local officials to promptly address and satisfy concerns raised. Silfab remains committed to operating a technically advanced solar facility that meets or exceeds all local, state, and federal regulations.”
No court date has been set.
Other lawsuits, protests
The plant is being built south of Carowinds near U.S. 21 and Gold Hill Road. There are two other pending lawsuits against Silfab in York County civil courts concerning zoning; a hearing in one of them is scheduled for Monday.
Opponents of the plan have said they’re concerned about its location near schools and neighborhoods. Protesters against the site have attended political and county meetings about it.
Two years ago, Silfab and York County reached a tax incentive agreement for the company to bring 800 jobs and a $150 million investment to Fort Mill. After protests from neighbors, the county Board of Zoning Appeals voted that solar panel manufacturing shouldn’t be allowed in areas zoned light industrial, like the Silfab site on Logistics Lane. York County then stated the appeal decision only applied to future projects, but that Silfab could continue.
A main concern for public protests ever since has been the safety of chemicals Silfab will use, particularly beside two new schools under construction. One of them, Flint Hill Elementary School, opens on Monday.
This story includes previous reporting by reporters Sofia DiStefano and Nick Sullivan.
This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM.
