It’s essentially Microsoft’s case now that the Redmond-based company has taken over the publisher.

In July 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, DFEH, sued Activision Blizzard King for widespread harassment and discrimination against female employees within the company. As a result, employees walked off the job in protest and formed a union called A Better ABK to demand better working conditions. This caused the value of the publisher’s stock to plummet, which was good for Microsoft, which was able to buy the company, which is still run by Bobby Kotick until the end of the year, at a lower price, although the FTC is still trying to prevent this.

Then, last March, a settlement was reached with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Activision paid Blizzard King $18 million. But there was another government agency, the Civil Rights Division (CRD), and here too the parties shook hands: “California remains deeply committed to promoting and enforcing the civil rights of women in the workplace. This settlement agreement, if approved by the court, represents a major step forward and will provide immediate relief to Activision Blizzard employees. At the California Department of Civil Rights, we will continue to do our part to fight for the rights of our state’s residents,” said Kevin Kish, Director of the California Department of Civil Rights.

Activision Blizzard King (hereafter referred to as ABK) will pay $54.87 million, of which $45.85 million will go to the employee settlement fund. Women who worked for the company as employees or contractors between October 12, 2015 and December 31, 2020 are eligible to receive compensation, but the agreement must be approved by the court before they can apply. ABK must also distribute any excess settlement funds to charitable organizations that focus on the advancement of women in the video game and technology industries or that promote awareness of gender equality issues in the workplace, and retain an independent consultant to evaluate and make recommendations regarding Activision Blizzard’s compensation and promotion policies and training materials.

Under Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), ABK employees are free to unionize.

Source: WCCFTech