Tesla—California racial discrimination trial against Tesla began, with testimony alleging slurs, swastikas, and pay disparities at Fremont factory

A bench trial brought by California's Civil Rights Department against Tesla over systemic racial discrimination at its Fremont factory opened September 21, 2026 in Alameda County Superior Court, running through October 30, 2026. The case, covering more than 6,000 Black workers with no damages cap, followed a nearly three-year state investigation into hundreds of worker complaints. Trial testimony alleged supervisors and managers regularly used racial slurs, workers called the factory a 'plantation' and referred to Black colleagues as 'slaves,' swastikas and racist graffiti appeared in common areas, Black workers earned about $1,533/month less than white workers (June 2018-June 2024), were funneled into the hardest and lowest-paid jobs, and were disciplined more harshly while passed over for promotion. The suit alleges management ignored years of documented complaints and that some workers fired for misconduct were later rehired as contractors. Tesla says it does not tolerate discrimination and fires employees who engage in misconduct. A related EEOC suit over the same underlying harassment allegations is in mediation.