State Demands More Payments from Riot in Gender Discrimination Settlement

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State Demands More Payments from Riot in Gender Discrimination Settlement

Recent intervention by California regulators could revise Riot's gender discrimination settlement from the original $10 million to over $400 million.

The original amount, publicly announced in December 2019, was to be distributed to approximately 1,000 women who worked at Riot from November 2014 until the settlement was reached.

However, according to a recent report in the Los Angeles Times, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a document on January 8, 2020, suggesting that the women in question were owed much more than the amount Riot had agreed to pay.

The report also notes the agency's assertion that "enforceable changes in employment policies are not part of the settlement at a company where sex discrimination is allegedly prevalent."

In response to the agency's intervention, Riot spokesman Joe Hixson claimed that Riot "negotiated hard with the attorneys representing the class to reach an agreement that we collectively believe is fair to class members." In his eyes, the outside agency's interference is a mess "filled with inaccuracies and false allegations."

"We are particularly dismayed by the disregard and disregard for the efforts we have made regarding diversity, inclusion, and culture over the past 18 months," Hixson added.

"We look forward to hearing arguments in court."

It is unclear at this time whether the amounts will be adjusted. Intervention by outside parties will either be granted or denied in a separate lawsuit on January 31, 2020, and an amendment to the $10 million settlement itself will be presided over by a judge on February 3.

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