Judge Allows Tesla Discrimination Lawsuit to Proceed with Skepticism

A U.S. judge in San Francisco has allowed a lawsuit accusing Tesla of discriminating against American workers in favor of foreign nationals to proceed, though he expressed skepticism about the plaintiff’s ultimate success.

The suit, filed by software engineer Scott Taub, claims Tesla systematically hires foreign visa holders, allegedly violating federal civil rights laws. Judge Vince Chhabria stated that Taub presented 'just enough facts' for the case to move forward. While Taub claims his dismissal from an engineering role reflects Tesla's hiring bias, the judge highlighted a lack of solid evidence supporting systematic discrimination.

The judge also dismissed a second plaintiff's claims, shedding doubt on assertions that HR positions favored visa holders. Meanwhile, Tesla refutes the allegations. The lawsuit underlines reliance on H-1B visa holders, a point of contention amid broader debates on foreign workers in the tech sector.