The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging that its employees face "constant sexual harassment, including molestation, remarks, and seduction" due to a "frat boy-like workplace culture." The lawsuit, filed after more than two years of investigation, alleges that women at Activision Blizzard were paid less and promoted more slowly than men in the same roles. Activision Blizzard vehemently denies this claim in a response today.

The documents filed state that at the studio, "women were subjected to numerous sexual comments and advances, molestation, unwanted physical contact, and other forms of harassment. Female employees working on the World of Warcraft team "indicated that they were propositioned, made derogatory remarks about rape, and subjected to other humiliating remarks and actions by male employees and supervisors," the complaint states. The former chief technology officer is accused of "touching intoxicated female employees at company events and is known to have made hiring decisions based on the appearance of female applicants."

Multiple instances are cited, including a story involving an employee's suicide.

Complaints to Activision Blizzard's human resources staff and executives, including Blizzard President J. Allen Black, were ineffective because "complaints were treated ad hoc and brusque, and confidentiality was not maintained," resulting in the complaining staff being "deprived of project work . or were retaliated against by being unwillingly transferred to another department or singled out for layoffs," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that women of color at Activision Blizzard were "particularly vulnerable targets" of discrimination. An "African-American employee working in the information technology department" was "forced by her supervisor to write a one-page summary" of how she wanted to spend her vacation time.

Other women, the suit states, were placed in lower-level positions, paid less, and passed over for promotions "in favor of male colleagues who did not have the same experience or qualifications but were friends with their department heads."

"The newly promoted male supervisor has now delegated his responsibilities to a female subordinate in favor of playing 'Call of Duty.'"

It appears that alternative dispute resolution methods were attempted before the lawsuit was filed, but ultimately "the parties were unable to resolve their administrative grievances."

DFEH, on behalf of the plaintiffs, is seeking compensation in the form of damages, unpaid wages, and an amount to be determined by a jury trial.

A spokesperson for Activision Blizzard refuted the accusations in a statement sent to PC Gamer, claiming that the application contains "distorted and often false statements about Blizzard's past." The DFEH then states that "they are required by law to conduct a full investigation before entering into litigation and to engage in good faith discussions with us to better understand and resolve claims and concerns, which they failed to do. Instead, they rushed to file an inaccurate complaint, as we will prove in court"

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Activision's statement also specifically refutes the complaint's suggestion that the employee's death by suicide was related to harassment, stating, "DFEH's reprehensible attempt to drag the tragic suicide of an employee, who had nothing to do with this case, into the complaint without regard for the grieving family We are disgusted by this reprehensible behavior. 0]

Furthermore, the submission paints an inaccurate picture of the current Activision Blizzard, "Over the past several years, and since the initial survey began, we have made significant changes to address our corporate culture and to reflect more diversity in our leadership team." . suggesting that the submission paints an inaccurate picture of the current Activision Blizzard.

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