Activision Blizzard Agrees to $18 Million Settlement With EEOC After Toxic Workplace Probe

Activision Blizzard Toxic Workplace Overview: 

• Who: Activision Blizzard Inc agreed to an $18 million settlement following a probe into the company’s workplace by federal regulators. 
• Why: The probe was initiated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after allegations that Activision Blizzard promoted a toxic workplace environment and failed to properly handle employees’ claims surfaced.
• Where: Activision Blizzard is based in California.

Activision Blizzard Inc has agreed to an $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) following a probe into the company’s allegedly toxic workplace.

The EEOC had been looking into Activision Blizzard over allegations that its employees faced gender-based harassment and retaliation while at work. 

Activision Blizzard has produced several high-grossing video games, including, among others, StarCraft, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and the Candy Crush Saga. 

The EEOC alleges the company subjected its employees to “sexual harassment that was severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of employment,” reports The Wall Street Journal. 

The $18 million settlement will go into a fund used to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants, according to Activision Blizzard, which released a statement vowing to take steps to “prevent and eliminate harassment,” in its workplace. 

“There is no place anywhere at our company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind, and I am grateful to the employees who bravely shared their experiences,” said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. “I am sorry that anyone had to experience inappropriate conduct, and I remain unwavering in my commitment to make Activision Blizzard one of the world’s most inclusive, respected, and respectful workplaces.”

Activision Blizzard Employees Pursue Legal Options

Activision Blizzard is still facing legal challenges from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which has subpoenaed the company and some of its senior executives as part of an investigation into its handling of employees’ allegations of workplace discrimination and sexual misconduct, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

Additionally, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by investors who claim the company hid employees’ discrimination claims from shareholders who ultimately suffered financial losses once the truth came out. 

Activision Blizzard has also vowed to fight a lawsuit lobbed against it by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

Do you believe the $18 million settlement is a fair conclusion to the EEOC’s probe into Activision Blizzard’s workplace? Let us know in the comments! 

The Activision Blizzard Stock Drop Class Action Lawsuit is Cheng v. Activision Blizzard Inc. et al., Case No. 2:21-cv-06240, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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