"Judge approves Activision Blizzard’s $18m settlement over sexual harassment suit", 29 Mar 2022

A US judge has approved an $18m settlement between Activision Blizzard and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, bringing one of several discrimination lawsuits against the gaming company to a close.

During a hearing on Tuesday, US district judge Dale Fischer said she would give final approval to the settlement after Activision and the EEOC made various tweaks she requested last week.

The company’s legal woes aren’t yet over, however. The maker of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and other popular video games still faces suits filed by additional former employees, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and shareholders accusing the company of widespread sex discrimination...

EEOC spokeswoman Nicole St Germain said the agency was pleased that Fischer said she would approve the settlement. She said that in addition to the payout, the deal requires Activision to take steps to prevent and address discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

In a 2021 complaint, the EEOC had accused Activision of failing to take corrective and preventive measures on sexual harassment complaints, discriminating against women in pay and promotions, and discriminating against pregnant workers. Activision denied violating anti-bias laws, but has said it will make changes to how it addresses workplace complaints...