Jury slashes payout to former Tesla worker who faced racist abuse

It’s disheartening to hear about anyone facing discrimination at work, and it’s even worse when their struggles are dismissed or ridiculed afterwards. This is the sad reality for former Tesla employee, DeWitt Lambert, who faced horrendous racist abuse while employed at the company’s Fremont factory. His supervisors and colleagues subjected him to racial slurs, stereotypes, and even a picture of a swastika on a bathroom wall. Understandably, Lambert filed a lawsuit seeking damages for emotional distress and discrimination, and initially, a jury awarded him $137 million. However, as of last week, an appeals court has reduced the payout to just $137,000. According to the court, the original amount was “excessive” and punitive, and accepted Tesla’s arguments that Lambert’s claims of racial discrimination were unsupported or exaggerated. While it’s positive that Lambert will still receive some compensation, the decision is a worrying sign of how difficult it remains to hold companies accountable for workplace harassment and injustice. Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated, especially in a corporate culture that claims to value diversity and inclusivity. It’s crucial that relevant laws and policies are strengthened and enforced so that no one has to face this kind of treatment, whether they work for Tesla or any other company.