Judge approves Activision Blizzard $18 million settlement in sexual harassment suit

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/29/ [login to see] /judge-activision-blizzard-settlement-sexual-harassment
A California judge says she will approve a settlement between video game giant Activision Blizzard and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The case stems from a complaint the federal agency filed in September, after a years-long investigation, alleging that employees at Activision Blizzard were subjected to severe sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination, and that the company engaged in retaliation against employees who complained.

The settlement includes an $18 million fund for eligible claimants who worked at the company starting in Sept. 1, 2016.

"Our goal is to make Activision Blizzard a model for the industry, and we will continue to focus on eliminating harassment and discrimination from our workplace," said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick in a statement. "The court's approval of this settlement is an important step in ensuring that our employees have mechanisms for recourse if they experienced any form of harassment or retaliation."

The EEOC's lawsuit is just one that the company has faced recently for its alleged toxic workplace culture.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing is also suing the company for equal pay violations, sex discrimination and sexual harassment.