Activision Blizzard Establishes $18 Million Victim Compensation Fund

Blizzard is the latest company to offer a victim compensation fund in response to lawsuits filed against it. This move comes after Activision Blizzard established a $18 million fund for victims of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer mode, which allowed players to kill their opponents and receive an in-game reward.

Blizzard employee kills herself name is the new company’s first victim compensation fund. The company has set aside $18 million to compensate those affected by the tragedy.

Activision Blizzard and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have reached an agreement to settle claims and strengthen policies and programs to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The company has established a $18 million compensation fund to make amends to eligible victims of harassment and gender inequality issues, with any leftover funds divided between the two parties. The firm also launched a campaign to create software tools and training programs to help companies in the technology sector improve workplace rules and practices.

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick

Discrimination, harassment, or unfair treatment of any sort has no place at our business, and I am thankful to the workers who courageously shared their stories. I apologize if anybody was subjected to improper behavior, and I remain committed to making Activision Blizzard one of the most inclusive, respected, and respectful workplaces in the world.

We shall maintain our commitment to the eradication of workplace harassment and discrimination by being attentive. We appreciate the EEOC’s constructive involvement as we strive to meet our promises to eliminate improper workplace behavior.

CEO Bobby Kotick’s comments are quite similar to what he said during Activision’s second-quarter investor results call, in which he urged for the firm to become a leader in the games development sector. While the deal is still subject to court approval, it has been authorized by the EEOC and joins a number of other anti-harassment and anti-discrimination measures implemented by Activision Blizzard.

To prevent and eradicate harassment and discrimination in the workplace, the Company will update rules, procedures, and training, as well as establish an enlarged performance evaluation system with a new equal opportunity emphasis.
The Company will hire an impartial, third-party equal employment opportunity consultant — a non-employee who must be authorized by the EEOC – to monitor the company’s compliance with the agreement on an ongoing basis. The results of this independent consultant will be immediately communicated to the EEOC and Activision Blizzard’s Board of Directors.
To help the Company and the impartial, third-party EEO consultant with the agreement’s obligations, the Company will employ an internal Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator with appropriate expertise in gender discrimination, harassment, and associated retaliation.

Pessimists may believe that the business might just declare that no one is qualified, but the entire agreement specifies that the EEOC will have full and complete authority in determining who is eligible and how much money they would get. The agreement meticulously lays out timeframes and responsibilities, giving Activision 30 days to deposit the $18 million into a settlement fund, another 30 days to hire an EEOC-approved claims administrator, and yet another 30 days to set up a website and toll-free phone number for submitting claims, as well as auditing procedures and how those claims will be handled. Finally, leftover money will be given to charity groups that support women in the video game and computer sectors, as well as raise awareness about sexual harassment and gender equality problems, subject to EEOC clearance.

Blizzard’s promise to create a $18 million compensation fund and hire a claims administrator is outlined in this extract from the agreement, which is subject to the EEOC’s inspection and approval.

This comes after a three-year investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which looked into claims of discrimination against pregnant employees, paying female employees less than male employees because of their gender, and retaliating against employees who complained about unfair treatment. Employees were exposed to severe and widespread sexual harassment, according to a court filing filed earlier today, and the company failed to take remedial or preventive steps to stop the harassment. Instead of pursuing a jury trial, the two parties settled for $18 million and agreed to the procedural changes described above.

However, it has no bearing on the discrimination complaint brought by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing in July. While the two lawsuits were filed at the same time, they have different scopes and are not related, with the EEOC focusing on broad gender inequality and the California suit focusing on sexual harassment and misconduct, though this settlement does indicate Activision Blizzard’s willingness to provide a settlement and compensation rather than a lawsuit.

However, it’s uncertain how far this specific rot will spread. While the EEOC settlement isn’t specific, the California case focuses almost entirely on Blizzard Entertainment (the studio), alleging egregious wrongdoing and a failure by the company’s leadership to address it. While Activision is ultimately accountable for the behavior of its substudio, this is an institutional failure, and Activision is now paying the price for Blizzard’s mistakes. It’s no surprise, then, that most of those executives have left the company, either quietly dismissed or outright removed by Activision after seeing the writing on the wall and finding a reason to leave (it now appears to be no coincidence that so many high-profile employees have decided to leave or retire over the last few years these investigations have been taking place). Despite the usual tendency for casual observers to blame Activision (the parent firm) for all of the industry’s ills, they seem to be taking a few moves in the right way toward resolving these issues – even if there are still a few more steps to go.

Blizzard Entertainment, the company behind the Warcraft and Overwatch, has established a $18 million victim compensation fund. Reference: blizzard employee death.