A Tesla factory in Fremont, California, has been sued by its Black employees for continued discrimination since 2015, including graffiti that showed “Swastikas, threats, and nooses.”
Allegations of Racial Harassment at Tesla
Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, is facing serious allegations of fostering a hostile work environment for its Black employees.
Lawsuit by the EEOC
A recently filed lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accuses Tesla of subjecting Black employees to “severe or pervasive racial harassment.”
Racial Slurs and Stereotyping
The agency alleged that a Tesla factory in California was rife with racial slurs and race-based stereotypes, which subjected “Black employees to racial hostility and offenses.”
Abused “Too Many Times to Count”
According to the EEOC, affected employees were abused “too many times to count.”
Racial Abuse Across All Areas
“The racial misconduct was frequent, ongoing, inappropriate, unwelcome and occurred across all shifts, departments and positions,” the lawsuit said.
EEOC’s Legal Demands
The EEOC’s lawsuit is seeking “compensatory and punitive damages, and back pay for the affected workers.”
Injunctive Relief Demanded
The lawsuit also demands “injunctive relief designed to reform Tesla’s employment practices to prevent such discrimination in the future.”
Language Used at Tesla’s Factory
The lawsuit detailed the use of racist slurs in high-traffic areas and worker hubs, contributing to a toxic work atmosphere.
Presence of Offensive Graffiti
According to the EEOC, “Black employees regularly encountered graffiti, including variations of the N-word, swastikas, threats, and nooses.”
Offensive Graffiti on Vehicles
The lawsuit stated that the graffiti was placed on “desks and other equipment, in bathroom stalls, within elevators, and even on new vehicles rolling off the production line.
Retaliation Against Complaining Employees
To make things worse for the Fremont Factory’s reputation in the Golden State, anyone who argued against the offenses committed in the Tesla plant was fired.
Investigator’s Findings and Statement
Charlotte Burrows, who investigated Tesla, said, “Every employee deserves to have their civil rights respected, and no worker should endure the kind of shameful racial bigotry our investigation revealed.”
Law Professor’s Claims
“If the federal government gets involved, it certainly adds credibility to the claims,” claimed Law Professor Stephen Diamond.
Retirement Funds May Be Affected
“Major institutional investors like pension funds will be very concerned about this type of behavior,” he said.
Allegations Similar to Previous Lawsuits
Tesla has previously awarded black employees with significant reparations for abuse in its other factories.
Jury Award in Previous Case
In October 2021, a jury awarded $137 million to a Black former Tesla employee who accused the company of disregarding widespread racism.
Reduction of Award by Judge
Following the initial verdict, a judge later reduced the awarded amount to $15 million, but the accusations don’t stop there.
Previous Settlement With Another Employee
Tesla paid $1 million to settle with another Black former employee who claimed he was called the “n-word” by a supervisor.
Fremont Woes Continue
In 2017, another employee at Fremont, Owen Diaz, was given $3.2 million for what was described as severe racial discrimination.
Company Culture in Need of Change
After these cases of racial abuse, it’s clear that Tesla has a problem within its company culture, which must be rectified before more employees come out with the truth.
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