Home / Crime and Justice / Tesla Faces Mediation Over Black Employee Harassment Lawsuit
Tesla Faces Mediation Over Black Employee Harassment Lawsuit
14 Jan
Summary
- Tesla agreed to mediation to resolve EEOC harassment lawsuit.
- Agency alleges widespread racial slurs and graffiti at Fremont plant.
- Mediation talks could begin March or April, with a June 17 deadline.
Tesla is entering mediation to potentially resolve a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The lawsuit, filed in September 2023, accuses the electric car maker of tolerating severe and widespread harassment of Black employees at its Fremont, California, assembly plant. Negotiations could begin as early as March or April.
The EEOC's allegations include instances of racial slurs and the display of racist graffiti, such as swastikas and nooses, at the Fremont facility. Some of this graffiti was reportedly found on vehicles on the assembly line. Tesla has consistently denied knowledge of such harassment and has accused the EEOC of seeking public attention.
If mediation and settlement discussions are unsuccessful, both parties are expected to present proposals to the presiding judge by June 17. The agency has requested a pause on some evidence-gathering deadlines to prioritize the mediation process. This case is one of several lawsuits Tesla has faced concerning alleged mistreatment of workers at the Fremont plant.
