Activision Blizzard settled one of their sexual harassment lawsuits under an approved $18 million settlement, new filings have confirmed this week.
The new filings that confirm Activision Blizzard settled one of their sexual harassment lawsuits comes via WaPo, noting U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer approved the $18 million relief settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Activision Blizzard originally agreed to settle with the EEOC back in September 2021, which then saw hearings follow that had lawyers from both sides make their arguments for or against the settlement.
Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) lawyers representing the state of California argued against the settlement, saying it violates the states’ right to its own jurisdiction, as the EEOC represents the Federal Bureaucracy, and didn’t follow normal legal process.
The EEOC argued that the DFEH has had months to make this argument regarding federalism, and that they only pursued this argument in the “eleventh hour.” Further, the EEOC noted this has derailed and delayed the settlement proceedings, during which Activision Blizzard was fully cooperative with the federal government.
Judge Fischer gave an exasperated follow-up that the DFEH’s argument was “untimely” and that anyone who rejects the settlement can take it up to the ninth circuit court. Legal pundits suggest this settlement can prevent the DFEH from pursuing further legal action against Activision Blizzard.
The DFEH is also pursuing their own lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, however the involved parties noted the EEOC settlement has a clause that lets Activision Blizzard to remove sexual harassment allegations from the original files of settlement claimants – which could hold up the subsequent DFEH trial. EEOC’s rebuttal, filed on March 24th, disputes this by noting the consent decree doesn’t require or authorize destruction of those files. The settlement also lets Activision Blizzard use unclaimed funds for their own womens’ charities.
Those original harassment allegation proceedings were held up by the DFEH, which submitted a motion to intervene in October 2021. The same month that filing let the EEOC respond with their own rebuttal, which claimed the DFEH lawyers were making ethical violations.
The follow-up DFEH lawsuit is tentatively set for February 27, 2023.
Activision Blizzard has come under a flurry of sexual harassment and discrimination allegations and lawsuits began surfacing, leading to the resignation of company president Blizzard, J. Allen Brack and other key staff departing.
