On October 4, 2024, a Brazilian court ordered German automaker Mercedes-Benz to pay $7.3 million in damages for collective moral harm following allegations of harassment and racial discrimination against injured workers at its Campinas facility in São Paulo state.
The court found that workers who suffered job-related injuries were isolated within the factory and subjected to humiliating treatment and racial discrimination. This ruling, announced by the Regional Labor Court No. 15, is subject to appeal.
Documents from the case revealed that between 2004 and 2019, numerous employees at the Mercedes-Benz factory faced mistreatment and discrimination after contracting occupational diseases. Upon their return to work, they were labeled as part of a 'Divergent Group,' leading to isolation and denial of promotions and pay raises. Some workers reported being subjected to racist insults.
Judge Luís Henrique Rafael emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that accepting such practices as isolated incidents would represent a significant social regression. One worker recounted being called derogatory names due to his inability to lift heavy parts because of an illness, while another described being assigned menial tasks and ridiculed for his skin color.
If the mistreatment continues, the company could face daily fines of up to 100,000 reais ($18,000) for each affected worker. The Campinas Distribution and Logistics Center is the largest Mercedes-Benz facility outside Germany.