Tesla heads to bench trial in Oakland over alleged Black worker discrimination
A California civil rights lawsuit accusing Tesla of racial harassment and pay disparity at its Fremont plant will be tried in Oakland, with a judge-only verdict expected by October 30.
Tesla is set to face a bench trial in Oakland after the California Civil Rights Department filed a 2022 lawsuit claiming systemic racial harassment and wage discrimination against Black workers at the company’s Fremont assembly plant. The complaint details incidents of slurs, graffiti and segregation of Black employees into low-pay, undesirable jobs, as well as blocked promotion opportunities. Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon scheduled the trial to run through October 30, and because it is a bench trial, the judge alone will determine liability.
Under state law, damages are not capped, potentially exposing Tesla to substantial monetary awards. Tesla maintains it does not tolerate discrimination and has terminated employees found guilty of misconduct, while the agency’s director, Kevin Kish, said the state looks forward to holding the automaker accountable. This case adds to a series of discrimination actions against Tesla, including a federal EEOC lawsuit and dozens of individual claims.
Why it matters
The outcome could force Tesla to pay large damages and reshape workplace policies at a major U.S. employer.
In this story
