Tesla has been tolerating racial harassment at its factory in Fremont, California since at least 2015 until today, according to the lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The automaker has violated federal law by tolerating the “widespread and ongoing racial harassment of its Black employees,” the agency said. Further, affected workers who raised concerns about the abuse they were getting were apparently subjected to various forms of retaliation: They were transferred, their duties were changed, or they were terminated.
The EEOC’s lawsuit says Black employees were regularly called variations of the N-word, “monkey,” “boy” and “black b*tch” throughout the factory, even in hubs were workers gathered. These employees also encountered drawings of racial graffiti, including swastikas and nooses, on desks, as well as on the walls of bathroom stalls and elevators throughout the factory. If these allegations sound familiar, it’s because they’re identical to the complaints filed by plaintiffs who previously sued Tesla for racial harassment.
One of those plaintiffs was Melvin Berry, who accused Tesla supervisors of using racial slurs against him. And there was Owen Diaz, who said he was subjected to racial slurs and was made to feel unsafe at work with racist graffiti on his workspace, such as drawings of Inki the Caveman. Diaz was originally granted $137 million in damages, which was one of the highest amounts awarded to an individual suing on the basis of discrimination. However, it was significantly lowered following several appeals, until it was reduced to $3.2 million earlier this year.
The EEOC filed its lawsuit after doing an investigation on the automaker and trying to reach pre-litigation settlement through conciliation. Now, it’s seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as backpay for all affected workers. It’s also asking the court for an injunction “designed to reform Tesla’s employment practices to prevent such discrimination in the future.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-sued-by-federal-agency-for-racial-harassment-at-california-factory-053220563.html?src=rss
Top 6 News Stories of the Day
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s essential to stay updated on the latest news. Here are the top 6 news stories of the day, covering a range of topics from politics…
Top 6 News Stories of the Day
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s essential to stay updated on the latest news. Here are the top 6 news stories of the day, covering a range of topics from politics…
Vise Intelligence is a new AI to assist — not replace — financial advisors
Vise Intelligence is always standing by to act as a helpful assistant capable of pulling together information and suggesting…
SpaceX’s defense-focused Starshield satellite internet business lands first contract
SpaceX won its first contract for Starshield, the defense-focused version of its Starlink satellite internet service, from the U.S. Space Force. The one-year contract has a maximum value of $70 million, a U.S. Air Force representative told Bloomberg. The contract “provides for Starshield end-to-end service via the Starlink constellation, user terminals, ancillary equipment, network management
I Guess We’re All Talking to Our Glasses Now
This week, we cover the latest news from Meta: AI-enabled smart glasses, a VR headset, and an army of fresh chatbots.
On TikTok, videos promoting steroids are exploding — and at times targeting teens
In a new report, a social media watchdog group details how steroid content is exploding in some TikTok communities, promoting potentially dangerous and often illegal substances while propagating unattainable body image ideals to boys and young men. Researchers with the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that videos tagged with hashtags promoting the use
Uber, Grubhub and DoorDash must pay NYC delivery workers an $18 minimum wage
Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub won’t be able to get out of paying minimum wage to their New York City delivery workers after all, following a judge’s decision to reject their bid to skirt the city’s new law. The upcoming law, which is still pending due to the companies’ ongoing lawsuit, aims to secure better wage protections for app-based workers. Once the suit settles, third-party delivery providers will have to pay delivery workers a minimum wage of roughly $18 per hour before tips, and keep up with the yearly increases, Reuters reports.
The amount, which will increase April 1 of every year, is slightly higher than the city’s standard minimum wage, taking into account the additional expenses gig workers face. At the moment, food delivery workers make an estimated $7-$11 per hour on average.
New York Acting Supreme Court Justice Nicholas Moyne put the law on pause back in July, when the three companies and the smaller delivery service, Relay Delivery, sued the city, arguing that the raised rates will have a negative impact on their services. With Moyne’s latest decision, it’ll now move forward. While Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub will have to comply once it takes effect, Relay will be given more time to renegotiate its contracts with restaurants, according to Reuters.
The move makes NYC the first US city to require a minimum wage for app-based deliveries, and others are likely to follow suit. The city previously pushed ride hailing apps to raise their minimum rates for drivers, forcing Uber and Lyft to raise their per-mile rates by just over 5 percent in 2022.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-grubhub-and-doordash-must-pay-nyc-delivery-workers-an-18-minimum-wage-213145847.html?src=rss
The best iPhones
Navigate Apple’s lengthy iPhone product catalog like a pro. | Image: The Verge
Whether you want a battery that lasts for days or the very best deal, we’ve got some recommendations for an iPhone you’ll love.
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Spotify is adding auto-generated transcripts to millions of podcasts
Image: Spotify
Spotify is rolling out auto-generated podcast transcripts to more creators in the coming weeks, the company announced Thursday.
The text transcripts will also be time-synced so listeners can visually follow along as a podcast episode progresses. Transcripts are available by scrolling down below the podcast player and tapping into a “read along” section. A transcription of a show makes the podcast more accessible to users and allows listeners to skip around and skim an episode without listening through.
Spotify says “millions” of podcast episodes will get the tool, and in the future, creators could add media to transcripts — a useful feature if a creator is describing an image on the show, for example.
Beyond transcripts, mobile podcast listeners globally will now be able to jump around an episode using chapters as well. Podcasters can add time-stamped chapters to their shows that briefly describe a segment of the show, allowing listeners to preview topics or start listening at specific points.
The auto-transcription feature follows the recent addition of an AI-generated voice cloning tool that translates podcasts into different languages. Announced earlier this week, the tool uses OpenAI’s Whisper technology to create versions of podcast episodes in other languages. The feature is limited to a handful of creators to translate English-language podcasts into Spanish, with French and German translations coming in the next few weeks.