California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has extended its lawsuit against Activision Blizzard for sexual harassment and discrimination to include temporary workers. Axios first reported that the watchdog filed an amended lawsuit Monday to clarify the group it intends to represent in the suit. The complaint refers to workers now, rather than employees. California's protections against harassment and sexual discrimination exist for both employees and temporary workers.
Activision Blizzard is also accused of using non-disclosure agreements in an attempt to block DFEH's ability to investigate and prosecute workplace violations at the company. According to the agency, human resource personnel also destroyed documents related to complaints and investigations.
Activision Blizzard spoke out to Engadget in response to today’s filing. "Throughout our engagements with the DFEH we have complied to every request in support of its examination even as we were implementing reforms that ensure our workplaces and are safe and welcoming for all employees." We strive to be an entertainment company that celebrates diversity and the perspectives that can lead to great entertainment. You can read the entire statement at the end.
DFEH launched a two-year investigation into Activision Blizzard and found that its executives had fostered a workplace culture of frat boys. The agency claims that only 20% of employees at the studio are female and that they are consistently paid less, not promoted, and fired more quickly than their male counterparts. Activision executives dismissed the lawsuit at first, claiming that it contained inaccurate and, in some cases, false descriptions of Blizzards' past.
Employees quickly condemned the company's response and called it abhorrent. They then staged a walkout at July's end. J. Allen Brack, the president of Blizzard Studios, was one of those named in the DFEH suit. He also resigned along with several other senior designers.
Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard CEO, promised to act quickly to create a safe work environment. However, many were skeptical of the company's decision to hire WilmerHale. WilmerHale is a law firm with a history of representing management in matters related to unionizing.
Updated at 6:13 PM ET: Here's an Activision Blizzard spokesperson's complete response:
We have been supportive of the DFEH's review throughout our engagement, even though we were implementing reforms to make our workplaces welcoming and safe for all employees. These changes are continuing today and include:
Several high-level personnel changes;
Redesigned hiring and recruitment practices that require diverse interview panels
Transparency in pay equity
Enhanced and enhanced training and investigative capabilities of human resource and compliance personnel;
To support greater independence, we have created investigation teams that are independent of business units.
To support greater accountability, restructured divisions
Enhanced review process to include employee evaluation of managers
Establish clear boundaries in the workplace with a zero tolerance approach to harassment or other acts that marginalize or diminish.
Those who claim that we destroyed information by shredding papers are false. We took the necessary steps to protect information pertinent to the DFEH investigation.
We aim to be a company that celebrates diversity and the talents that can lead to great entertainment. The DFEH has been provided with evidence that shows we don't have gender pay disparities or promotions. The company's senior leadership has a greater diversity, with more women holding key leadership positions.
We are all committed to demonstrating the example of others by sharing DFEH's goal of a safe and inclusive workplace that rewards employees equitably.
