Judge approves EEOC’s $18M settlement with Activision

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California approved and entered the consent decree between Activision Blizzard, Inc., and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which includes $18 million in monetary relief and significant injunctive relief, on March 30. Judge Dale Fischer found the consent decree was “fair, reasonable and adequate and advance[s] the public interest.”

By signing the three-year consent decree, the court has resolved the lawsuit alleging the companies violated federal law by subjecting female employees to sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and related retaliation. The ruling includes not only Activision Blizzard, Inc., a Southern California-based video game development and publishing company, but also Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., Activision Publishing, Inc., and King.com, Inc. (collectively referred to as “Activision Blizzard”) and the entities’ subsidiaries.

Prevent harassment, discrimination, retaliation

In addition to monetary relief, Activision Blizzard agreed to substantial injunctive relief aimed at preventing workplace harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. The companies agreed to, among other things: