Reading Room
CRD’s Reading Room houses public information about cases, settlements, and other documents of interest.
Cases of Interest
CRD v. Tesla, Inc. et al.
Case Overview:
On February 9, 2022, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) filed a
complaint in Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. Tesla, Inc. et
al., Case No. 22CV006830 (Alameda County), a case brought under the Fair
Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the California Equal Pay Act. On
March 11, 2022, the CRD filed an amended complaint. The lawsuit alleges,
among other things, that Tesla subjected its Black workers to racial
harassment when Tesla failed to address years of complaints protesting the
use of racial slurs in the workplace and the presence of racist writing
and graffiti in common work areas. The amended complaint also alleges that
Tesla discriminated against Black workers in California, including
segregating them to the lowest levels of the workforce and not promoting
them into the ranks of executives, senior officials, and managers at
Tesla.
DFEH v. Vasona Management Inc. et. al.
CRD v. Activision Blizzard
- View FAQ
- CRD v. Activision Blizzard – Signed Consent Decree
- CRD v. Activision Blizzard – First Amended Complaint
- Court’s Minute Order re Demurrer
- CRD v. Activision – Order Denying Motion for Summary Adjudication
- EEOC v. Activision – CRD Appeal from Denial of Intervention
-
EEOC v. Activision – CRD Reply Brief in Appeal from Denial of
Intervention
CRD v. Riot Games
DFEH v. Cathy’s Creations, Inc.
CRD v. Ralphs Grocery Company
Case Overview:
On December 20, 2023, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit in California Civil Rights Department v. Ralphs Grocery Company, case no. 23STCV31213 (Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County). This is a case brought under California’s Fair Chance Act. The Fair Chance Act was passed by the Legislature to lower barriers to employment and support community inclusion for people who have been previously involved in the criminal legal system. The lawsuit alleges that Ralphs denied jobs to otherwise qualified job applicants on the basis of criminal histories that do not have an adverse relationship with the job duties. The lawsuit also alleges that Ralphs has failed to perform individualized assessments of applicants’ criminal histories, provided inadequate notification about the grounds for the withdrawing a conditional job offer, and unlawfully included questions in its job application form seeking the disclosure of an applicant’s criminal history.
CRD v. Microsoft Corporation
Case Overview:
The California Civil Rights Department (“CRD”) investigated allegations
that Microsoft Corporation (“Microsoft”) engaged in unlawful employment
practices related to protected leaves of absence in violation of
California and federal law. CRD and Microsoft have reached a settlement on
these claims, and the Parties have filed a Consent Decree to resolve the
case under the supervision of a judge. On August 8, 2024, the Court signed
the Consent Decree approving the settlement. Among other relief, Microsoft
has agreed to have its leave-related policies evaluated by a third-party
consultant and to pay over $14,000,000.00 to workers covered by the
settlement. More information about the case and the settlement can be
found at the links below.
CRD v. Snap Inc.
CRD (formerly DFEH) v. CDCR
Others
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More cases
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Recent Settlements
October 28, 2022: Riot Games, Inc. Amended Consent Decree.
- View Decree (PDF)
August 10, 2022: CRD Settles College Student’s Housing Discrimination Complaint.
- View Press Release (PDF)
August 8, 2022: Appellate Court Rules California Civil Rights Department Not Bound By Private Arbitration Agreements.
- View Press Release (PDF)
July 27, 2022: Live Nation and House of Blues Anaheim Settle CRD Workplace Sexual Harassment Investigation For $500,000.
- View Press Release (PDF)
July 25, 2022: Court grants preliminary approval of landmark $100 million settlement of California Civil Rights’ Department (formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing or DFEH) case against Riot Games, Inc..
- View Press Release (PDF)
July 5, 2022: Nicola’s Nightclub Agrees to Pay $260,000 to Resolve Allegations Nightclub Managers Sexually Assaulted Dancers.
- View English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF)
June 22, 2022: DFEH Settles Sexual Harassment Housing Complaint.
- View English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF)
June 22, 2022: DFEH Settles Housing Discrimination Case Involving Greenbrae Apartment Complex.
- View English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF)
June 15, 2022: DFEH Sues JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. for Failure to File Pay Data Report.
- View Press Release (PDF)
June 14, 2022: Mitsui Home America LLC Agrees to $100,000 Settlement to Resolve Fair Chance Act Case.
- View Press Release (PDF)
May 4, 2022: DFEH Sues Federally-Subsidized Apartment Complex for Disability Discrimination.
- View Press Release (PDF)