Tesla has been sued by a state civil rights agency for operating a ‘racially segregated workplace’
Tesla is being sued for alleged racial discrimination and harassment by a California regulator
A state civil rights agency says the electric carmaker runs a racially segregated workplace
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing says it had received “hundreds of complaints” from workers at the Fremont factory.
But Tesla firmly denies the allegations, calling the lawsuit “misguided”
This comes days after President Biden acknowledged Tesla as the nations largest electric vehicle manufacturer
The company, which is led by chief executive Elon Musk, says it “strongly opposes all forms of discrimination and harassment” and will ask the court to pause the case.
Meanwhile, the director of agency says evidence has been found
Kevin Kish says black workers at the California factory are subjected to racial slurs and discriminated against in job assignments, discipline, pay and promotion
Shockingly, areas in the factory where many Black and African American employees were located were referred to as the “porch monkey station,”
Racist graffiti was also left in break rooms, restrooms, and work stations including racial slurs too explicit to reveal on air
Tesla has previously been sued for racial harassment and discrimination at its Fremont factory. In October last year, a judge awarded a Black former employee $137 million in damages
Tesla says over the past five years the agency has been asked by individuals to investigate the company on nearly 50 occasions
This comes as Tesla recalls over half a million vehicles in the U.S. because a “Boombox” function can obscure audible warnings for pedestrians.