Ex-Tesla worker who suffered racist abuse rejects $15M award, seeks new trial

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A former Tesla worker who won a racial discrimination case against the company has rejected a $15 million payout and will seek a new damages trial.

A jury had awarded plaintiff Owen Diaz $137 million in October 2021, but in April, a federal judge reduced the payout to $15 million. In that ruling, US District Judge William Orrick rejected Tesla's claim that it is not liable for the "disturbing" racist abuse suffered by Diaz, who is Black, but found that the jury overreached in its damages calculation.

Diaz had the option of accepting or rejecting the lower payout, and he rejected it in a court filing on Tuesday. The case is in US District Court for the Northern District of California.

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