Activision-Blizzard Sued By California

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Uh...no.

The title of the article is misleading; this is not a civil suit being brought by employees against the company, this is the State of California attempting to issue an injunction against ActiBlizzion for failing to comply with state labor laws. A cash settlement won't avoid the need for compliance.

I don't think that will stop Blizzard from attempting to arbitrate with the mistreated employees/former employees, but do you know if such arbitration would eliminate CA's ability to pursue the case?

I'm not familiar enough with the laws regarding this case to make any sort of estimation. I'm just thinking back to incidents of corporate malfeasance in which a company denies wrongdoing while paying a fine, and whether or not this could play out similarly.

[Elegiac]

I don't think that will stop Blizzard from attempting to arbitrate with the mistreated employees/former employees, but do you know if such arbitration would eliminate CA's ability to pursue the case?

No; again, it's literally a function of failure to comply with regulations. They either are or they aren't, even if they settle cases with employees.

I'm not familiar enough with the laws regarding this case to make any sort of estimation. I'm just thinking back to incidents of corporate malfeasance in which the company denies wrongdoing while paying a fine, and whether or not this could play out similarly.

They'll deny wrongdoing even if they pay the fine, lol. It's just PR.

[josykay]

I have never seen a statement, that is so poorly worded and unconvincing than that of Blizzard...
They just rant how they are treated unfairly, and to make it even "worse"... they do not even deny the allegations. They dodge them.

[Endus]

I don't think that will stop Blizzard from attempting to arbitrate with the mistreated employees/former employees, but do you know if such arbitration would eliminate CA's ability to pursue the case?

I'm not familiar enough with the laws regarding this case to make any sort of estimation. I'm just thinking back to incidents of corporate malfeasance in which a company denies wrongdoing while paying a fine, and whether or not this could play out similarly.

State action like this is not on behalf of any complainants. It's on behalf of the State. Whatever arbitration or settlements Blizzard-Activision reach with wronged employees is 100% irrelevant to the State's case; in fact, it's probably a boost, since it would demonstrate Blizzard-Activision knows there was wrongdoing involved.

Cases like this could result in heavy fines, or it could result in State actors having some oversight over Blizzard-Activision operations, serving as watchdogs with full access ensuring that compliance with State orders is occurring. The same way, say, that a CPS agent will stop by and check up on foster parents and such.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

No; again, it's literally a function of failure to comply with regulations. They either are or they aren't, even if they settle cases with employees.

Oooh. Okay, thanks for clarifying that for me. I think I was failing to see the distinction between this being filed by the State of California, and the class-action that Riot faced a few years back. I'll take this as a lesson to make sure I properly read the text in the court filings regarding the plaintiffs and defendants so I don't wind up confusing two things that have some similarities while being legally distinct (I went and reread the first page in the class-action brought against Riot, feeling a bit silly for not having payed attention to it before).

Also thank you Endus for the more expansive explanation, it helps flesh out the context of what the scope and context of the consequences can be.

[uuuhname]

State action like this is not on behalf of any complainants. It's on behalf of the State. Whatever arbitration or settlements Blizzard-Activision reach with wronged employees is 100% irrelevant to the State's case; in fact, it's probably a boost, since it would demonstrate Blizzard-Activision knows there was wrongdoing involved.

Cases like this could result in heavy fines, or it could result in State actors having some oversight over Blizzard-Activision operations, serving as watchdogs with full access ensuring that compliance with State orders is occurring. The same way, say, that a CPS agent will stop by and check up on foster parents and such.

this sounds so selfish but gawd damnit I hope they boot 85% of the WoW dev team out of there and then WoW can wither and die on the vine.

[woopytywoop]

whoa, so many bigots who just put everything that "endangers" their heterosexual white manhood, in the same corner.

Why are these bigots trying to put people who just want to pursue equal rights in the same corner as extremists/criminals?

On topic, this actually sheds another light on some events.
Afrasiabi who got sacked without any official statement of Blizzard (rumours were that he harassed women; Towellie also said that on twitter today)
that kael thas voice actor who got sacked (he was wrongly accused afaik).

Blizzard knew this was coming so they weren't even giving the benefit of doubt to those who were being accused of harassment.

[Traveler Voltin]

blizzard is a sad company now. so looks like they are worse than EA right now.

[Sorrowseer]

whoa, so many bigots who just put everything that "endangers" their heterosexual white manhood, in the same corner.

Why are these bigots trying to put people who just want to pursue equal rights in the same corner as extremists/criminals?

On topic, this actually sheds another light on some events.
Afrasiabi who got sacked without any official statement of Blizzard (rumours were that he harassed women; Towellie also said that on twitter today)
that kael thas voice actor who got sacked (he was wrongly accused afaik).

Blizzard knew this was coming so they weren't even giving the benefit of doubt to those who were being accused of harassment.

Said the same myself on the news thread, it makes a lot of these leaving employee's having a possible different reason that ones stated, or not, is dreamhaven in fact 'frat boy retreat'? who knows now.

[Necromantic]

Which is why it's hilarious watching the armchair lawyers trying to blame sexual harassment on its victims when Blizzard has an entire HR department and legal team that is paid good money to do that instead.

Isn't that sad? Business and politics and the common folk are the ones who suffer from it.

On the flip side, I can see what some... not all of the armchair lawyers are getting at. It's not always the fault of the victim but I witnessed myself women who create these problems themselves. Women who will very low cut, tight tops when they're very well endowed and smile/giggle at men, giving the clear indication of flirting only to report them when they construe it as such. It's not uncommon for couples to meet at work, so it's not like this is new however there are some men who stick to the motto of "I don't get my honey where I get my money".

[Sorrowseer]

Isn't that sad? Business and politics and the common folk are the ones who suffer from it.

On the flip side, I can see what some... not all of the armchair lawyers are getting at. It's not always the fault of the victim but I witnessed myself women who create these problems themselves. Women who will very low cut, tight tops when they're very well endowed and smile/giggle at men, giving the clear indication of flirting only to report them when they construe it as such. It's not uncommon for couples to meet at work, so it's not like this is new however there are some men who stick to the motto of "I don't get my honey where I get my money".

Oh she is wearing a low cut top... bro, come on.

[BronzeCondor]

I wonder what kind of harassment that men at the company suffered from. The segment of the company I work for is dominated by women and I definitely feel like a victim of "cube crawls" and passive sexual harassment at times. If Blizzard is rife with men harassing women, there are probably women harassing men. Hopefully the full picture comes to light.

[Forogil]

Said the same myself on the news thread, it makes a lot of these leaving employee's having a possible different reason that ones stated, or not, is dreamhaven in fact 'frat boy retreat'? who knows now.

It could also be that dreamhaven was created as a way of getting away from the 'frat boy' culture.

Or it might have nothing to do with this.

[Endus]

Isn't that sad? Business and politics and the common folk are the ones who suffer from it.

On the flip side, I can see what some... not all of the armchair lawyers are getting at. It's not always the fault of the victim but I witnessed myself women who create these problems themselves. Women who will very low cut, tight tops when they're very well endowed and smile/giggle at men, giving the clear indication of flirting only to report them when they construe it as such. It's not uncommon for couples to meet at work, so it's not like this is new however there are some men who stick to the motto of "I don't get my honey where I get my money".

"She was asking for it, look at what she's wearing" is a super terrible excuse for being a rapey creep of a man. If you're seeing something as "flirting" and the girl wasn't flirting, that's a you problem, not a her problem.

Also, the issue with work relationships is the power differential. A supervisor dating someone they supervise is a massive no-no. Nobody cares if you're dating someone in another department you have no oversight or interaction with. They care about abuses of power that could be used to pressure an employee into a relationship they would otherwise not have tolerated. If a girl's worried about getting fired if she rejects her boss' advances, that's sexual harassment and a form of sexual assault if it gets physical, even if both would agree that they're boyfriend/girlfriend.

[Shadowferal]

On the flip side, I can see what some... not all of the armchair lawyers are getting at. It's not always the fault of the victim but I witnessed myself women who create these problems themselves.

Maybe you ahould read the link more closely; California suing game publishing studio over culture of 'constant sexual harassment'

The complaint alleges the company assigned women to lower-paid and lower-opportunity levels at the company. Women allegedly received lower starting pay and earned less than male counterparts for "substantially similar work."

"Faced with such adverse terms and conditions of employment, many women have been forced to leave the company," the complaint states.

The complaint also alleges women at the company were subject to "cube crawls" where male employees "drink copious amounts of alcohol as they 'crawl' their way" through office cubicles and "often engage in inappropriate behavior toward female employees."

"Female employees are subjected to constant sexual harassment, including having to continually fend off unwanted sexual comment and advances by their male co-workers and supervisors and being groped at the 'cube crawls' and other company events," the complaint alleges.

[Edge-]

I wonder what kind of harassment that men at the company suffered from.

Apparently not enough to bring a state lawsuit against the company after a multi-year investigation. Also not enough for at least one male employee to have committed suicide as a result of sexual harassment.

Maybe it's not a big problem, believe it or not.

[Necromantic]

Oh she is wearing a low cut top... bro, come on.

That was a hypothetical... did you not read my entire post or were you making a joke that went over my head?

I've literally witnessed women who have done just that. I was not insinuating anyone else did that.

[Endus]

I wonder what kind of harassment that men at the company suffered from. The segment of the company I work for is dominated by women and I definitely feel like a victim of "cube crawls" and passive sexual harassment at times. If Blizzard is rife with men harassing women, there are probably women harassing men. Hopefully the full picture comes to light.

This is a fair point, too. I worked at a job in college that was run very much with a frat culture, and my second year there, we had criminal charges come down for sexual assault against a bunch of employees, for how they were hazing new hires. Because it was involving things like slapping their dongs on the new guy's faces and shit. That was guys doing it to guys, which doesn't make it any better.

[Necromantic]

Maybe you ahould read the link more closely; California suing game publishing studio over culture of 'constant sexual harassment'

The complaint alleges the company assigned women to lower-paid and lower-opportunity levels at the company. Women allegedly received lower starting pay and earned less than male counterparts for "substantially similar work."

"Faced with such adverse terms and conditions of employment, many women have been forced to leave the company," the complaint states.

The complaint also alleges women at the company were subject to "cube crawls" where male employees "drink copious amounts of alcohol as they 'crawl' their way" through office cubicles and "often engage in inappropriate behavior toward female employees."

"Female employees are subjected to constant sexual harassment, including having to continually fend off unwanted sexual comment and advances by their male co-workers and supervisors and being groped at the 'cube crawls' and other company events," the complaint alleges.

I read it just fine. I never insinuated that the women here did anything wrong. I was saying that this type of thing in general, the women are not always the real victims.

[Elegiac]

Women who will very low cut, tight tops when they're very well endowed and smile/giggle at men

You taking that as an invitation is your problem, not theirs.

Stop victim blaming.