At least 20 employees 'exited' Activision Blizzard over sexual harassment lawsuit

[Cal Jeffrey]

In a nutshell: Like rats jumping a sinking ship, Activision Blizzard staff have been leaving in droves. The company's chief compliance officer confirmed on Tuesday that at least 20 employees have “exited.” The exec did not say if they were terminated or resigned, but did mention that another 20 were "disciplined."

More than 20 Activision Blizzard employees have left the company over a sexual harassment lawsuit that became public last July. Activision Blizzard's Chief Compliance Officer Fran Townsend confirmed the number, adding that another 20 staffers have received other disciplinary measures.

"It doesn't matter what your rank is, what your job is," Townsend told Financial Times. "If you've committed some sort of misconduct or you're a leader who has tolerated a culture that is not consistent with our values, we're going to take action."

Townsend has flipped her stance on the matter 180 degrees. When the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) initially filed the complaint, she said the lawsuit was "truly meritless and irresponsible" and that the claims were "distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard's past."

Know there’s a *lot* going on today but I am on Blizzard Way at the employee walkout. The state of CA is suing Activision Blizzard for a pattern of pay/gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Employees found company’s response to the lawsuit “abhorrent.” pic.twitter.com/qEx59FiydS

— Jon peltz (@JonnyPeltz) July 28, 2021

Her response was part of a companywide effort to play down the "frat-boy" workplace culture and sparked an employee walkout. Days later, Blizzard Entertainment President J. Allen Brack, who was named directly in the lawsuit, stepped down from his position.

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened an investigation into the matter. A day later, Blizzard's Chief Legal Officer Claire Hart resigned. The allegations of discrimination were also probed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Blizzard settled the EEOC's complaints with an $18 million compensation package and a promise to clean up the company's act.

The recent departures and additional disciplinary actions are likely a part of that clean-up effort. However, the company has yet to settle matters with the SEC, CWA, or the California DFEH, which filed the initial lawsuit that got the ball rolling.

Image credit: Dinosaur918 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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https://www.techspot.com/news/91855-least-20-employees-exited-activision-blizzard-over-sexual.html

 

[kapital98]

Nice to see the spin/statement kept in context!

 

[captaincranky]

Jeez, with all the testosterone flying around in that building, you'd think the women would have enough common sense not to wear skin tight leggings to work every day.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

Looks like Activision will be the wokeist game company after this is over, they might even be able to make the next CoD more Diverse & Inclusive than the latest Battlefield...

 

[Markoni35]

It's interesting that there are no g4y harassment lawsuits, and you can bet there must be many such cases every day, especially in California. But somehow, it's only the opposite-gender harassments that are banned, all other harassments are okay.

Also, it only applies to business companies. University professors seem to be approved by the mass media to have sex with their students. Under the excuse that "university students are 18+ so they can decide for themselves". Interestingly, 18+ employees in companies don't seem to be old enough, as their co-workers can easily get fired for much lesser offenses than university professors.

I'm still waiting for mainstream media to start bashing university professors, as their deeds are much worse, and yet they very rarely get even mentioned in media, let alone fired.

 

[ZedRM]

Jeez, with all the testosterone flying around in that building, you'd think the women would have enough common sense not to wear skin tight leggings to work every day.

You'd think. Professional attire does not equal skin tight clothing. But then again, people just aren't that smart. And I'm blaming all of them, the women for dressing in less than professional attire and the men for failing to control themselves.

 

[captaincranky]

@ZedRM A long, long, time ago. I saw an article about an Israeli Special Forces officer, who was also crowned, "Miss Israel".

I'd be willing to bet that she didn't need any of the shrews and harpies from, "The View", to stick up for her.

She could, more than likely, get rid of someone's hand on her butt, as fast, or faster, than a pistol pointed at her.

 

[Zinixo]

Dont give a rats but about the frat boy culture what I do care about is why is blizzard still selling d2r when it is clearly still broken a month after launch.