Tesla’s latest Securities and Exchange Commission filing reveals minority groups after CEO Elon Musk criticized its diversity efforts, calling them “literally the definition of racism.” Deleted language regarding workers.
In Monday’s 10-K filing, a comprehensive report on Tesla’s activities during 2023, the electric car maker ditched a line it used a year ago: Our efforts to attract, develop and retain passionate employees are critical to our continued success. ”
Musk has been especially vocal in his opposition to companies’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in recent weeks.
He recently doubled down after the Alaska Airlines flight, a near-catastrophic disaster in which the Boeing plane suffered a ruptured fuselage panel.
According to a screenshot of Boeing’s proxy statement filed with the SEC and shared with and DEI targets have been shown to change in rewarding when influenced by.
“Would you want to be on a plane that prioritizes DEI jobs over your safety? That’s what’s happening,” Musk responded.
In a subsequent X post, he wrote: “DEI is going to kill people.”
Tesla’s Latest 10-K filingPreviously reported by. bloombergThe company’s human resources policy aims to “promote fairness and respect for all people,” and the company recognizes “race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, expression, age, disability, or veteran status.”
“DEI is just another word for racism. Shame on those who use it,” Musk said in another post shared on January 3.
He later clarified that “the race-based discrimination practiced by DEI is literally the definition of racism.”
Even before Musk took a stand against workplace DEI efforts, Tesla faced multiple lawsuits related to racial discrimination.
Just recently, a federal judge in California ordered Tesla to punish black former employees after the Austin, Texas-based EV company was found to have failed to prevent serious racial harassment at its flagship assembly plant in California. was ordered to pay approximately $3.2 million.
The verdict came after a week-long trial in a 2017 lawsuit by plaintiff Owen Diaz, who was awarded $137 million in damages by a separate jury in 2021.
He opted for a new trial for damages after the judge agreed with the jury that Tesla was liable, but the award was significantly reduced to $15 million.
Diaz said Tesla employees at its Fremont, Calif., factory frequently used racial slurs, scribbles, swastikas, racist caricatures and epithets on walls and work areas. He has repeatedly complained to management and accused Tesla of failing to take action.
A jury on Monday awarded Diaz, who worked as an elevator operator, $175,000 in damages for emotional distress and $3 million in punitive damages to punish and deter future misconduct. He announced.
Musk argued to X that if the judge had allowed the company to introduce new evidence at the retrial, “the verdict would have been zero.”
The EV maker faces similar claims of condoning racial discrimination in a pending class-action lawsuit (separately from the California Department of Civil Rights) by black workers at its Fremont factory and other workplaces. He also faces multiple lawsuits involving independent workers, including Diaz’s son.Demetric Diaz
The company also denies any wrongdoing in these cases.
Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
