Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Federal judge denies Tesla's retrial request in case involving worker's claims of racism at factory in Fremont, California

Federal judge denies Tesla's retrial request in case involving worker's claims of racism at factory in Fremont, California

The worker was initially awarded $137 million over the allegations, but a new trial has been set to determine the amount Tesla will have to pay.
A judge denied Tesla's request for a retrial on Wednesday in a lawsuit brought against the electric-car maker, alleging racial discrimination at its factory in Fremont, California. 

US District Judge William H. Orrick halted Tesla's efforts to potentially overturn the racism verdict during a 20-minute motion hearing on Wednesday. Bloomberg was the first to report the judge's decision.

Last year, a jury awarded former Tesla elevator operator Owen Diaz $137 million in his lawsuit against Tesla. Judge Orrick cut the award down to $15 million earlier this year, calling the award "unconstitutionally large."

Diaz refused the lower amount and a new trial has been set to determine how much Tesla will have to pay Diaz in damages. The new trial date is set for March 27, 2023, court filings show. Tesla had originally argued that the amount should be lowered to $600,000.

Diaz's lawyer and a Tesla spokesperson did not respond to Insider's request for comment ahead of publication.

Last year, Diaz's award was believed to be the largest for a racial discrimination lawsuit in history after the jury agreed that Tesla had created a hostile working environment for Diaz, who worked at the carmaker's Fremont factory between 2015 and 2016.

Diaz alleged that Tesla ignored instances of racism at the factory, including claims his coworkers and direct supervisor verbally abused him and that racist graffiti was written on the bathroom walls. 

Diaz was among the first of many Tesla workers at the Fremont factory to file a lawsuit against the company. Since, dozens of workers have alleged racial discrimination and sexual harassment at Tesla. Helen Rella, a New York labor lawyer, previously told Insider that a landmark case like Diaz's could "open the floodgates" to a slew of lawsuits for Tesla.

A California civil rights regulator also sued Tesla last year, alleging it had received "hundreds of complaints from workers" following a three-year investigation.

At the time, Tesla called the lawsuit an attack against "the last remaining automobile manufacturer in California," and said that it "always disciplined and terminated employees who engage in misconduct, including those who use racial slurs or harass others in different ways." The carmaker countersued the agency in September.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×