A California civil rights company has filed a lawsuit towards Tesla for alleged racial discrimination and harassment at its Fremont manufacturing unit, in accordance with The Wall Street Journal. “After receiving a whole lot of complaints from employees, DFEH discovered proof that Tesla’s Fremont manufacturing unit is a racially segregated office,” mentioned California Department of Fair Employment and Housing director Kevin Kish in a press release.
The DFEH mentioned Black staff had been regularly uncovered to racial slurs and graffiti, with one employee saying they heard such slurs 50 to 100 instances per day. “Black employees are subjected to racial slurs and discriminated towards in job assignments, self-discipline, pay, and promotion making a hostile work surroundings,” mentioned Kish.
Tesla referred to as the lawsuit “unfair and unproductive” in a weblog launched previous to the criticism being made public. “Tesla strongly opposes all types of discrimination and harassment and has a devoted Employee Relations workforce that responds to and investigates all complaints,” the corporate wrote. “Tesla can be the final remaining car producer in California. The Fremont manufacturing unit has a majority-minority workforce and gives the perfect paying jobs within the automotive business to over 30,000 Californians.” It additionally mentioned that over 50 earlier DFEH investigations during the last 5 years had been closed with none findings of misconduct.
Last October, Tesla was ordered to pay $137 million in damages to a former Black employee who accused the corporate of turning a blind eye to discrimination and racial abuse in 2015 and 2016. Tesla disagreed with the decision, with a spokesperson saying the corporate was “not good” at the moment however has “come a good distance” since then. Tesla lately moved its company headquarters to Texas from California, however has additionally mentioned it will increase its manufacturing actions by 50 p.c in California.
Tesla has beforehand tussled with the state of California over COVID-19 associated plant closures, and is not the one high-profile firm within the DFEH’s crosshairs. The company lately sued Activision Blizzard for alleged harassment and discrimination towards feminine staff.