‘N-word’ slur to cost Tesla millions, after elevator operator wins suit

A black elevator operator could find himself a rich man after a jury in San Francisco found that he was victim of severe racism at one of the world’s most notable companies, Tesla.

According to reports, Owen Diaz’s trial against the electric vehicle manufacturing giant will commence from next week and will last five days. This as the jury will determine a suitable payout for former employee who was found to have suffered extreme harassment from other employees and management at the company.

Diaz instituted his lawsuit against the EV company in 2021, after he claimed that he was called the N-word repeatedly by colleagues.

Diaz allegedly left his position in 2016 as the result.

Tesla initially denied the claims, despite Diaz providing evidence of offensive graffiti in the restrooms. In 2021, a jury found the company guilty of racism.

The jury awarded Diaz $7 million (around R127 000 000) for emotional distress and $130 million (R2 billion) in punitive damage, but in April last year, that amount was watered down to $15 million, with the judge stating that the case would not return to trial unless Diaz rejected the new payout.

Diaz rejected the new payout

The trial is, therefore, expected to start again early next week.

Tesla is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. It is owned by former South African Elon Musk.

Musk was recently thrown into the media spotlight for accusing the US media of being racist against white and Asian persons.

Musk did not give exact examples of this though as he was speaking on the back of “Dilbert” creator, Scott Adams, who made derogatory comments about black Americans.

He said that black Americans were a hate group and posted racist comments on his YouTube channel on Wednesday.

Musk said he did not necessarily agree with all that Adams was saying but criticised newspapers for dropping the comic.