ON BACKGROUND
Wigdor LLP has filed a discrimination and retaliation complaint against Lucid Group Inc. after the company allegedly discriminated against Eric Bach, an engineer and leader in the automotive industry with a decades-long career, on the basis of race. Lucid further nurtured and failed to prevent this discriminatory conduct when it did not take appropriate action against those who created a hostile workplace.
Lucid is a trailblazer in the electric vehicle engineering space, with innovative technology that has set the standard for EV efficiency. Many of its accomplishments are due to Bach’s exemplary performance as the company’s Senior Vice President of Technology and Chief Engineer. Despite consistent recognition for his hard work and dedication, receiving merit-based salary increases, bonuses, and over $14M in equity, Bach alleges he was targeted by Lucid’s racist Human Resources Department and then faced retaliation when he complained about a hostile work environment.
In early 2025, Lucid’s HR Department, led by Gale Halsey (“Halsey”) and her second-in-command Rachel Rivera (“Rivera”), prompted Lucid to revoke Bach’s responsibilities, claiming he contributed to poor company culture. While deriding Bach to colleagues, Rivera insulted Bach, a German and British citizen with a German accent, as a “German Nazi.” Though Lucid substantiated this racist speech, it failed to take significant action against Rivera. Lucid confirmed Rivera’s racist conduct yet took no meaningful remedial action, simply moving Rivera to a new role. Bach protested, telling Halsey that Rivera should have been fired for creating a “hostile work environment.” Lucid retaliated by firing Bach and publicly disparaging him.
The full complaint for Bach v. Lucid may be found here.
ON RECORD
Quote from Valdi Licul (Partner at Wigdor LLP):
“It is appalling whenever an employee is abused using racist language that calls up such awful imagery. It is especially heinous when the racist rumors come from a company’s Human Resources department, whose core function is to eliminate discrimination in the workplace. We look forward to holding Lucid responsible for its illegal behavior.”
Please reach out to Wigdor LLP Partner Valdi Licul (vlicul@wigdorlaw.com) Director of Marketing Tess Neudeck (tneudeck@wigdorlaw.com) with any questions.