Activision Blizzard Comes To An Agreement With The EEOC, Sets Aside $18M For Victim Claims And Awareness
Activision Blizzard is currently in the crosshairs of multiple government agencies over its frat boy workplace culture and allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination within the company. There’s California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which filed a lawsuit against the company back in July, as well as the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, all of which are currently running their own independent investigations.
The U.S. EEOC’s probe, however, has apparently come to an end upon reaching an agreement with Activision Blizzard. The agreement states that Activision Blizzard will settle all claims and will further strengthen their policies and programs to prevent the same issues from happening in the future. The company will also be setting up an $18 million fund for the benefit of sexual harassment and discrimination victims and to raise awareness of the issue in the video game industry.
“Activision Blizzard has committed to create an $18 million fund to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants. Any amounts not used for claimants will be divided between charities that advance women in the video game industry or promote awareness around harassment and gender equality issues as well as company diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as approved by the EEOC. The agreement is subject to court approval. The company also announced an initiative to develop software tools and training programs to improve workplace policies and practices for employers across the technology industry.”
Activision Blizzard also promised to improve their in-house practices, policies, and training to prevent future cases of harassment and discrimination within its offices. They will also be implementing an “expanded performance review system” that will focus on giving equal opportunities to all employees. A third-party “equal opportunity consultant” will also be brought on board to provide insight and review the company’s compliance, investigation policies, disciplinary framework, and training programs. This consultant will report regularly to both the company’s board of directors and the EEOC.
