15 Black Tesla employees, both former and current, are suing the corporation for allegedly failing to prevent racial discrimination at its Fremont, California manufacturing. The case, which was filed in a California court last week, contains workers’ claims of racist slurs, disparaging comments, and racially motivated workplace harassment.
According to the petition, workers claim that their coworkers often used the N-word and other racist or discriminatory terminology to describe the factory’s work atmosphere, such as “slavery” or “plantation.” Furthermore, Tesla allegedly left racist graffiti on toilet walls, benches, lockers, and workstations that included the words “KKK,” the N-word, and swastika drawings.
According to the lawsuit, management participated in the harassment, “ignored repeated complaints and reports” about the issue, and retaliated against employees “for reporting and complaining about the discrimination.” Jasmin Wilson, a former employee, claims she was sexually and racially harassed by her coworkers and management. Her bosses allegedly did not disclose the prejudice and instead implemented policies that targeted Wilson in punishment for her concerns.
Another employee, Nathaniel Aziel Gonsalves, claims he has been fired abruptly after working for Tesla for nine years in punishment for consistently reporting racial discrimination at the business. Several other employees claim they were refused promotions based on their race and were assigned to the “most physically demanding” duties at Tesla.
This is just one of the numerous lawsuits filed against Tesla for alleged racial discrimination and other sorts of workplace harassment. Last year, a Black former elevator operator won his case against Tesla, accusing the company of failing to do enough to avoid racial discrimination; he was handed a reduced settlement of $15 million. The corporation also allegedly paid $1 million to an employee who claimed the company did nothing when his supervisor used a racial slur.
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) filed a lawsuit against Tesla in February, alleging that the company’s Fremont plant has a “racially segregated environment where Black workers are subjected to racial slurs and discriminated against.” The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is also looking into the automaker (EEOC).
In a blog post, Tesla disputed charges of discrimination, adding that the business “strongly condemns all types of discrimination and harassment.”
