Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay $18 million to resolve a federal sexual harassment lawsuit

A federal judge has granted Activision Blizzard's $18 million settlement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed last year.

Current and former employees can file a claim for sexual harassment, retaliation, or pregnancy discrimination dating back to September 1, 2016, to be considered for relief.

Despite the fact that the EEOC settlement is the second largest of its type in the agency's record and it has its detractors including the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).

The DFEH sued Activision Blizzard in July 2021 over its failure to resolve sexual harassment and discrimination against female employees, which was filed before the EEOC's case last September.

The EEOC, a federal agency, and the DFEH, a state agency, have been at odds over how much compensation Activision Blizzard should pay to victims, with the latter being significantly more aggressive in its pursuit of compensation.

The DFEH is concerned that today's settlement, which it had been hoping to postpone, could jeopardize its case, which is planned to go to trial in February 2023.

According to the Washington Post, victims who agree to the EEOC settlement are ineligible to participate in the DFEH's case on the specific issues of abusive behavior, retaliation, and pregnancy discrimination.

The Communications Workers of America, which represents a number of currents and former Activision Blizzard employees, called the proposed $18 million settlement "woefully inadequate" last October, noting that it would "provide the maximum settlement for only 60 workers" when many more could have been harmed.

Riot Games agreed to pay $100 million to resolve a class action complaint alleging gender discrimination and sexual harassment against 1,065 female employees and 1,300 female contract workers last year.

Before the DFEH intervened and helped drive the figure higher, Riot had agreed to pay only $10 million to resolve the class action case in December 2019.

"Our goal is to make Activision Blizzard a model for the industry, and we will continue to focus on removing harassment and discrimination from our workplace," said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick today.

"The court's authorization of this settlement is a vital step toward ensuring that our employees have redress if they are harassed or retaliated against in any way."

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