Judge approves $18 million settlement for Activision Blizzard EEOC suit
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has officially ended in a settlement, with U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer approving the previously proposed $18 million agreement today.
The settlement creates a pathway for current and former Activision Blizzard employees that worked at the company between now and September 2016 to submit a claim concerning instances of sexual harassment, pay or promotion disparity, and discrimination against pregnant staff to potentially receive a part of the compensation fund.
However, as The Washington Post points out, participating in the fund could complicate other attempts for current and former Activision Blizzard staff to seek legal recourse against the company for those same experiences.
Along with the fund, and according to a press release from Activision Blizzard, the settlement requires the company to "continue enhancing policies, practices, and training" relating to the prevention of workplace harassment and discrimination, hire a EEOC-approved and third-party equal employment opportunity consultant, and hire an internal EEO coordinator (which Activision Blizzard accomplished via a hire earlier this month.)
"The agreement we reached with the EEOC last year reflected our unwavering commitment to ensure a safe and equitable working environment for all employees,” reads a statement from Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who himself has faced accusations of enabling abusive behavior within the company.
Elsewhere in the press release, Activision Blizzard notes it has taken multiple steps to improve on its workplace culture including a bolstered ethics and compliance team, programs to facilitate better hiring and promotion practices, and a
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