Activision Blizzard asks court to dismiss DFEH sexual harassment lawsuit
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Activision Blizzard asked a state court to dismiss the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against it by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
The filing in the Los Angeles Superior Court said that the DFEH failed to properly investigate claims prior to the filing of the lawsuit. The filing also said the DFEH failed to negotiate a resolution and failed to mediate with the company before it filed the lawsuit last year. And Activision Blizzard said that in the process, the DFEH unfairly damaged the reputation of the company and undermined the public trust.
“We are moving to dismiss the DFEH’s Complaint because the agency violated its own rules, acted in bad faith, and undermined its authority to file this lawsuit,” said Activision Blizzard in a statement. “Our motion comes just days after we joined the EEOC in opposing the sixth attempt by the DFEH to disrupt the federal settlement reached with the EEOC that already is helping Activision build a better and more inclusive workplace and providing relief and closure to current and former employees.”
The July 2021 DFEH lawsuit alleged that the company had a “frat house culture” where sexual harassment was tolerated and complaints were swept under the rug. It alleged that female employees were subjected to harassment, unequal pay, retaliation, and a failure to prevent harassment. Dozens of Activision Blizzard employees were either fired or voluntarily left the company in the wake of the lawsuit.
Activision Blizzard alleged the lawsuit was the result of “unprecedented inter-agency friction and government misconduct” that began in 2018 as routine and overlapping
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