The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging that employees face "continuous sexual harassment, including groping, comments and advances," due to its "frat-sized workplace culture." The lawsuit, which comes after more than two years of investigation, alleges that women at Activision Blizzard were paid less and promoted more slowly than men in the same roles. Activision Blizzard vehemently denied the allegations in its response today.
The dossier states that at the studio, "women were subjected to numerous sexual comments and advances, groping and unwanted physical touching, and other forms of harassment." "Female employees working for the World of Warcraft team noted that male employees and supervisors would hit on them, make derogatory comments about rape, and otherwise engage in humiliating behavior," the complaint said. A former tech chief was "accused of harassing drunk female employees at company events and was known for making hiring decisions based on the looks of female candidates."
Many examples are given, including a story involving an employee suicide that the California department associated with harassment.
Complaints to Activision Blizzard's human resources staff, as well as executives, including Blizzard President J Allen Brack, were "handled incompletely and condescendingly and were not kept confidential" because the case resulted in staff filing complaints. subject to retaliation, including but not limited to dismissal, reluctant transfer, and dismissal on projects."
The lawsuit alleges that women of color at Activision Blizzard are "particularly vulnerable targets" of discrimination. According to the agency's claims, an "African American employee working in information technology" was made by her manager to "write a one-page summary" of how she was going to spend her requested vacation time, no one else had to.
The case was in favor of male colleagues who "do not have the same experience or qualifications but are friends with the male head of the unit," other women being assigned to lower-level roles, paid less, and passed for promotion.
“A newly promoted male manager delegated responsibilities to his now-female subordinates in favor of playing Call of Duty,” he says.
Prior to litigation, alternative dispute resolution methods were apparently tried, but ultimately "the parties involved were unable to resolve administrative complaints". On behalf of the plaintiffs, DFEH seeks damages, unpaid wages, and damages to be determined by the jury.
An Activision Blizzard spokesperson responded to the accusations in a statement sent to PC Gamer, claiming that the filing contained "distorted and in many cases false, disclosures of Blizzard's past." The DFEH was "legally required to have good faith conversations and adequate research with us to better understand and resolve any claim or concern before going to litigation, but they failed to do so. Instead they rushed to file a false complaint, as we will show in court. "
The Activision statement also specifically responds to the complaint's suggestion that an employee's suicide by suicide was harassment-related, saying: No matter what happens in this case and regardless of his grieving family."
He argues that the filing paints a false image of Activision Blizzard as it currently stands, saying, "Over the past few years and continuing since the initial investigation began, we've made significant changes to address company culture and reflect greater diversity within our leadership teams."
