Over four years after a California agency sued Tesla over an alleged pattern of racial discrimination, a judge has dismissed Tesla’s motion to throw out the lawsuit.
The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) said today that the Alameda County Superior Court order clears a path for the case to go to trial, which is currently scheduled for July 20. Tesla “employment practices remain rooted in some of the ugliest relics of the past,” CRD Director Kevin Kish said. “Black workers are paid less for their work. They are subjected to racist slurs. They face threats of being fired for speaking out… We look forward to having our day in court to hold Tesla accountable and to protect the rights of workers in our state.”
The lawsuit alleges widespread discrimination, especially at Tesla’s Fremont factory, and seeks financial damages and injunctive relief. At trial, the case may include claims of discrimination going back to June 2018. The judge partially granted Tesla’s request to block claims under the statute of limitations, but only for incidents that happened before June 18, 2018.
