Black ex-Tesla worker who claimed racial abuse awarded US$137M
CTV
Tesla Inc. must pay nearly US$137 million to a Black former worker who said he suffered racial abuse at the electric carmaker's San Francisco Bay Area factory.
The jury in San Francisco agreed that Owen Diaz was subjected to racial harassment and a hostile work environment.
Diaz alleged in a lawsuit that he was harassed and faced "daily racist epithets," including the "N-word," while working at Tesla's Fremont plant in 2015 and 2016 before quitting. Diaz was a contracted elevator operator.
Diaz alleged that employees drew swastikas and left racist graffiti and drawings around the plant. He contended that supervisors failed to stop the abuse.
"Tesla's progressive image was a facade papering over its regressive, demeaning treatment of African-American employees," the lawsuit said.
