Former Employee Sues Tesla Over Safety Non-Compliance, Discrimination

A lawsuit filed in California on Friday against Tesla by a former manager alleges whistleblowing retaliation, wrongful termination, racial discrimination, and more following many attempts to notify managers and higher-ups of safety violations.

Marc Cage was hired as a project quality manager in November 2018 at Tesla’s factory in Sparks, Nevada, and then later worked at the OEM’s Fremont, California factory until he was fired in December 2020 for ‘his commitment to safety and his race,’ according to the suit.

‘Mr. Cage also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to identifying and correcting Tesla’s widespread safety and building code violations throughout his tenure at Tesla. The violations Mr. Cage reported directly risked endangering him and his co-workers, and maintaining safety was inherent in his work as a Certified Special Inspector overseeing construction operations.

‘…Unfortunately, at Tesla, his efforts to remedy noncompliance were received as antagonistic to the Company’s mission of scaling up production at any cost, including the health and safety of its employees.’