Tesla loses bid to move sexual harassment lawsuit to arbitration

Could 24 (Reuters) - A California state decide has rejected Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) bid to ship a lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment on the firm's flagship assembly plant to personal arbitration, permitting it to move forward in court.

California Superior Courtroom Judge Stephen Kaus in Oakland denied Tesla's motion to compel arbitration in a short order on Monday.

In a written opinion launched on Tuesday, Kaus stated Tesla had improperly pressured the plaintiff, Jessica Barraza, to signal an arbitration settlement after she had already stop her earlier job.

Register

"Mainly, Barraza was ambushed," the choose wrote.

Barraza in the lawsuit filed in November claims staff and supervisors at the Fremont, California plant routinely made lewd feedback and gestures to feminine workers, and that the company failed to deal with complaints.

The lawsuit is certainly one of not less than seven pending in California state court to make similar claims towards Tesla. Kaus is presiding over 5 more of these instances.

Tesla didn't instantly respond to a request for touch upon Tuesday.

David Lowe, a lawyer for Barraza, called the decision "a victory for public accountability."

"Because of this ruling... Tesla will likely be judged by a jury of Ms. Barraza's peers in a public courtroom," Lowe mentioned in a press release.

Along with the pending sexual harassment claims, Tesla is dealing with separate lawsuits accusing it of tolerating widespread race discrimination at its plants. A California decide final month awarded $15 million to a Black former factory employee who mentioned he was subjected to racist slurs and graffiti from coworkers. read more

Tesla has mentioned it doesn't tolerate harassment and has disciplined and fired workers who engaged in misconduct.

Register

Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Principles.