On the morning of June 9, Beijing time, it was reported that a government department in California had previously filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming that there was widespread racial discrimination in a Tesla factory** Tesla believes that it is not legal for the Department to file a lawsuit against it. On Wednesday, a judge ruled that the lawsuit could not be suspended on Tesla's grounds.
At the hearing, California High Court judge evelio Grillo said that Tesla could continue to express its position that the California Department of fair employment and housing failed to meet the relevant requirements before suing the company in February, but it was unreasonable to suspend the proceedings.
Tesla's lawyer argued that the lawsuit should be suspended and the Department should give Tesla the opportunity to try to reach a settlement outside the court. But Mr Guerrero said he had no right to do so. "We usually cannot order a department to exercise its rights in a specific way," he said
On Tuesday, local time, greero said in a written order that he was inclined to let the lawsuit continue. Therefore, the decision announced on Wednesday is expected.
Tesla and his lawyers have not commented on this decision. The California Department of fair employment and housing did not respond.
The Department said in the lawsuit that Tesla's super factory in Fremont, California, had a series of problems, including racial segregation, and that black employees were harassed and discriminated against in terms of job assignment, labor discipline and salary. Tesla denied wrongdoing and said the lawsuit was politically motivated.
On the same day, Tesla filed a complaint with the California administrative law office, claiming that the Department of fair employment and housing had repeatedly ignored the requirements of state laws before suing employers for alleged discrimination.
At the hearing on Wednesday, greero said that Tesla could still stick to its position that the Department of fair employment and housing violated state laws, but he also said that he would not make a decision before a formal hearing on Tesla's motion. The hearing is scheduled for August.
At present, California courts are hearing a number of similar lawsuits, which accuse Tesla of discrimination and sexual harassment in many factories. For example, a black employee had previously filed a lawsuit alleging that he had been severely racially harassed at the Fremont factory. In April this year, the state judge reduced the $137million compensation proposed by the jury to $15million. On Tuesday, the judge rejected the employee's motion to appeal the amount of compensation.
Tesla also faces a class action lawsuit against racial discrimination and a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by at least seven female employees. Tesla denied the allegations and said it had developed policies to prevent and punish misconduct in the workplace.