Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) – Tesla, (NASDAQ:) Inc. Female workers are subject to “nightmarish” sexual harassment in its main factory. And supervisors ignore complaints. According to a recent lawsuit.

Jessica Barraza (38), said that she’s been subject to “nearly daily” inappropriate touching and catcalls during her three-year tenure at Fremont’s electric vehicle manufacturer. She works night shifts in Fremont as a production associate.

A married mother of two claimed that male workers routinely approached her and stared at her breasts. They would then describe her as possessing an “onion booty,” or “Coke bottle,” while brushing up on her body, pretending it was accident.

Barraza is a Modesto resident. She said that the last straw was on September 28, when a man sneaked up behind Barraza and placed his leg between her legs as she clock in from lunch.

According to Thursday’s complaint filed in Alameda county, California, outside San Francisco, “Oh, My Bad,” he said, laughing, as she ran away.

Barraza stated that Tesla’s human resource department has failed to address her September and October complaints and disabled Tesla’s mailto:hr@tesla.com email address in order not to receive the complaints.

Tesla has not yet responded to our requests for comment on Friday. The company closed down its primary press office in 2020. The Washington Post reported Barraza’s suit earlier.

Elon Musk, a billionaire automaker, isn’t unfamiliar with allegations of abuse at Fremont.

Tesla was ordered by a San Francisco federal jury to pay Owen Diaz (136.9M) for racial harassment.

Tesla sought to reverse that decision on November 16.

The company said that it “abhorse and condemns all racial insults”, and that although it could have done more to eradicate racism, the maximum Diaz was due $600,000.

Barraza seeks punitive and compensatory damages in connection with violations of California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

Additionally, she said that Tesla like most “tech employers” requires all workers to sign arbitration arrangements, which keeps workplace disputes out in court. But, that the agreement’s terms are “unconscionable”, making it impossible for her to enforce.

Barraza stated that she was on a doctor-ordered leave medically with a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis.