Tesla Sued Again for Allegedly Ignoring Sexual Harassment Complaints

by Kwon Jaehee

Published 15 Dec.2021 14:51(KST)

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Tesla, the U.S. electric vehicle company led by Elon Musk, has been sued again for allegedly ignoring complaints of sexual harassment.

Previously, Tesla was sued by a female employee for allegedly dismissing her sexual harassment complaints, and now it faces a similar lawsuit from other current and former female employees.

According to Bloomberg on the 14th (local time), six current and former female employees from Tesla's Fremont factory in California and the Los Angeles service center filed a lawsuit in the Alameda County Superior Court, California, claiming that Tesla fostered a culture of sexual harassment.

In their complaint, they stated that they were subjected to sexual harassment such as lewd remarks and physical contact by colleagues and supervisors at work, but the company's response was inadequate.

They reported such sexually harassing behavior to the company, but nothing changed, and some were even reassigned to different locations.

Many of them added that these experiences caused them to suffer from depression and anxiety and that they were denied promotions.

One of the plaintiffs, Jessica Brooks, revealed that the sexual harassment was so severe that she stacked boxes around herself at work to prevent male employees from making advances.

This lawsuit follows a punitive damages lawsuit filed last month by Jessica Barra, a female employee at Tesla's Fremont factory.

In the complaint submitted to the Oakland court in California, Barra criticized, "Sexual harassment is rampant at Tesla, and the work environment is like a nightmare," adding, "Tesla is not a progressive company located in the San Francisco Bay Area but is more akin to a crude and outdated construction site or a 'frat house' (a group of male students characterized by strong masculinity and sexual promiscuity)."

Bloomberg reported that Tesla has faced ongoing protests related to racial discrimination and sexual harassment.

However, Bloomberg explained that because full-time employees sign agreements requiring workplace disputes to be resolved through confidential arbitration, these complaints have not reached the courts.