Activision Blizzard has now legally reached a settlement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), having been under scrutiny since last July when multiple lawsuits were filed against the company.
As a result of the settlement, the company has committed to large-scale changes within its organization.
Additionally, the gaming company will set up an $18 million settlement fund that will be used to compensate victims of harassment and discrimination.
To access these funds, victims must have worked between 1 September 2016 and 29 March 2022. If they meet this criteria, they can submit a claim “for sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, or related retaliation.”
The decree was approved by Judge Dale S Fischer on 29 March and will remain in effect for three years. Previously, the judge had requested tweaks to the settlement that was initially put forward by Activision Blizzard in September 2021.
Activision Blizzard has now committed to much larger changes than it did last September.
Changes in Activision Blizzard
In a blog post, Activision Blizzard outlined the changes that would happen within the organization. This includes enhancing policies, practices and training to stop harassment and discrimination in the workplace through an expanded performance-review system.
The company will also “engage a neutral, third-party equal employment opportunity consultant – a non-employee who must be approved by the EEOC – who will provide ongoing oversight of the Company’s compliance with the agreement.
“This independent consultant’s findings will be reported directly to the EEOC and Activision Blizzard’s Board of Directors.”
Activision Blizzard has also hired an internal EEO (equal employment opportunity) coordinator to address harassment and discrimination in the company.
There are a host of measures the company has begun taking to better its workplaces. This includes developing a new zero-tolerance policy on harassment and retaliation company-wide, growing its ethics and compliance teams, and enhancing pay transparency.
Although Activision Blizzard has reached this settlement, it is still facing suits filed by former employees, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and shareholders who have accused the company of widespread sex discrimination.
Activision Blizzard has contributed $1 million to Women in Games International (WIGI) to advance the success of women in the global games industry.
The full list of agreed-upon changes made by the company can be seen here.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick spoke about the settlement and planned changes: “The agreement we reached with the EEOC last year reflected our unwavering commitment to ensure a safe and equitable working environment for all employees.”
He added: “Our goal is to make Activision Blizzard a model for the industry, and we will continue to focus on eliminating harassment and discrimination from our workplace. The court’s approval of this settlement is an important step in ensuring that our employees have mechanisms for recourse if they experienced any form of harassment or retaliation.”
UNLEASH has reached out to Activision Blizzard for further comment but has yet to receive a reply.
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