Lawyer demands Activision Blizzard victim compensation fund 'in excess of $100M'

Lawyer demands Activision Rash victim compensation fund 'in excess of $100M'

An "Activision" sign on the facade of one of the company's office buildings in LA.

(Image credit: Joseph Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

A lawyer representing an Activision Blizzard employee with primary get of sexual misconduct at the accompany said during a press group discussion today that the $18 million village the company reached with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in October is "woefully inadequate," and called for the creation of a fund in inordinateness of $100 trillion to compensate victims of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Attorney Lisa Bloom held the news conference ahead of Blizzard headquarters today, accompanied by an Activision Blizzard employee titled Christine who recited a distressing series of abuses she's experienced first-class honours degree-hand during four years at the company including rude comments about her body, unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate touching, "inebriant-infused team events," and invitations for casual sex with her supervisors.

When she complained, she said she was told her coworkers were "just jocular," and that she should get over it. She said was also advised against going to Activision Blizzard's human resources department, and was demoted and denied profit communion opportunities later on she formally complained.

"We are hither because sexual harassment victims at Activsion Blizzard have been ignored," said Bloom, who represents Christine. "They are still excruciation, and it's time that they are prioritized."

Bloom same that at least three government agencies have investigated abuses at Activision Rash, including the federal Equal Employment Chance Commission, which ultimately filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard over sexual harassment and related claims. Activision Blizzard reached a closure with the EEOC in September.

"The EEOC entered into a go for order with the company, requiring it to set risen an $18 million fund to compensate victims," Bloom aforesaid. "Given that there are hundreds of victims, I think we tin all agree that the $18 cardinal number is woefully inadequate."

Despite the relatively paltry amount involved—remember, CEO Bobby Kotick pocketed an estimated $150 million in 2020, and was eligible to make the same in 2021 ahead pickings a remarkable salary cut after the sexual misconduct malicious gossip broke—Bloom said Activision Blizzard hasn't actually made any moves toward meeting its obligations, and a learned profession deadline to set up a website and constitute a claims administrator has already passed. However, that may constitute because of an protest to the settlement filed in October by California's Section of Fair Employment and Housing over concerns that information relevant to its state-level case could remnant up sealed under the damage of the EEOC's federal pillowcase. The process of implementing the resolution is presumably on hold until the DFEH objection is resolved.

Bloom expressed gratitude for the investigations into Activision Blizzard, but said that the concerns of the victims of sexual misconduct at the company have gone unaddressed. To that cease, she known as for the creation of a "aerodynamic, fast, fair process" for the resolution of valid claims against the company.

"Seth up a stock in excess of $100 million," Bloom same. "Let victim advocates participate in setting the rules, and let victims make their cases to sympathetic claims administrators who consume a history of caring about victims."

Bloom also demanded a full review of the case, and the damage done to man-to-man careers, by a neutral third party.

Pursuing the press conference, Activision Snowstorm said in a statement to PC Gamer that IT appreciates the courage of employees who come forward with reports of misconduct, and apologized to "victims of hoi polloi whose conduct did not fulfil our values."

"As we have continuing to reaffirm in our recent communications, such behavior is non consistent with our standards, our expectations, and what the vast majority of our employees meet on a daily basis. On that point is no place in our company or industry, or any industry, for sexy misconduct, torment or revenge of any kind. We will non tolerate any behavior that is not straight to our values and will control employees responsible who fail to fulfil them.

"The company is committed to creating an surroundings we can all be pleased. We are in the process of implementing noteworthy changes and improvements to the scope, structure and efficiency of our compliance and human resources teams, reporting systems, and transparency into our probe process. The safety and support of our employees, especially those who undergo suffered, remains our top priority."

Blush's press group discussion at Blizzard HQ comes amidst an ongoing walkout of Activision Blizzard QA employees in protestation of recent employee cuts at Corvus corax's QA department. The walkout began at Raven in Madison, Wisconsin along Monday and spread to other Activision Rash studios on Tuesday; according to the ABK Workers Alliance, some employees at Blizzard QA are continuing the study stoppage.

For those of Blizzard QA, who have continuing to manner of walking without the certainty of pay: thank you. We acknowledge this is an incredibly frightening time to be without income, and we are grateful for your solidarity and devotion to our peers.December 8, 2021