US publishing giant Activision Blizzard has agreed on a settlement for yet another lawsuit brought against it by a government body.
In a release on its investor page, the firm announced that it had come to an accord with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), who brought a lawsuit against the Call of Duty giant on September 27th. The organisation had been investigating Activision Blizzard since September 2018 over allegations of harassment and gender-based discrimination at the company.
This lawsuit came to light last week when Activision Blizzard said that it was working with regulators, including EEOC.
As part of this agreement, the company has created an $18 million fund to "compensate and make amends" to anyone affected by the behaviour laid out in the lawsuit. What is left of this money after that is going to be donated to charities and organisations that "advance women in the video game industry or promote awareness around harassment and gender equality issues as well as company diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives." This will be approved by the EEOC.
It's worth noting that this agreement isn't final; it still needs to be approved by a court.
“There is no place anywhere at our company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind, and I am grateful to the employees who bravely shared their experiences," Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick (pictured) said.
"I am sorry that anyone had to experience inappropriate conduct, and I remain unwavering in my commitment to make Activision Blizzard one of the world’s most inclusive, respected, and respectful workplaces.
“We will continue to be vigilant in our commitment to the elimination of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. We thank the EEOC for its constructive engagement as we work to fulfill our commitments to eradicate inappropriate conduct in the workplace.”
This, of course, comes in the wake of the lawsuit brought against Activision Blizzard by California's Department for Fair Employment and Housing back in July. The publishing giant is also the subject of a complaint by the National Labor Relations Board from the Communications Workers of America union, who have accused the firm of illegally busting collective worker action.
Then there's the fact that Activision Blizzard is also being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
