Activision Blizzard Settles California Lawsuit for $54 Million (and $47 Million for Employees) Over Pay & Job Inequities

mmorpg.com:

Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay more than $54 million (and an additional $47 million for affected employees) to settle a lawsuit filed by California’s Civil Rights Department in 2021. The lawsuit was filed over accusations of sexual and gender harassment, along with discrimination, including pay disparities.

The new settlement means that California has dropped its sexual harassment suit against the company after 2.5 years, and issued a statement that “there was no widespread harassment or recurring pattern or practice of gender harassment” in dropping the case for the agreed-upon amount.

The details of the settlement mean that California gets the $54 million payment to settle, and another $47 million has been set aside to compensate those affected by discriminatory practices that include pay disparities and denial of promotions. Since this settlement agreement and the penalties are only for pay discrimination and those denied promotions. There’s no timeline yet on when and how the funds will be distributed to those whose careers were hurt by these practices.

Activision Blizzard had previously paid the United States Securities and Exchange Commission $35 million to settle charges that included violating a whistleblower rule. They also agreed and paid a separate $18 million settlement with the United States Equal Opportunity and Employment Commission over hostile workplace culture accusations, harassment, and discrimination. California attempted to block that settlement, but it was later approved by a federal judge.

Previously, California settled a lawsuit with Riot Games over allegations of gender discrimination, for $100 million. This Activision Blizzard settlement deal is second largest in California history after