California files appeal in latest bid to intervene in Activision Blizzard's $18m discrimination lawsuit settlement

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is appealing a judge's ruling that prevented it from intervening in Activision Blizzard’s $18m settlement to end a sex discrimination lawsuit last year. Activision continues to be under intense scrutiny after California’s DFEH claimed the gaming giant fostered a “ …

[Anonymous Coward]

My head hurts

First, the $18m does seem inadequate and the judge stated this in court. The in camera session is for the EEOC and Activision Blizzard to justify it.

Second, the DFEH certainly seems to have cause to weigh in on the settlement.

Third, the EEOC should take precedence over the DFEH unless California state law is significantly different than Federal law.

BUT, I can't get beyond the fact that Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free. As the one who created and maintained the culture, some asset seizure to add to the $18m would seem more than appropriate.

[sabroni]

Re: Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free

Why were you expecting a wealthy CEO to face consequences for their actions? Are you new to planet Earth?

[msknight]

Re: Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free

Very true. The only consequences will likely come from customers voting with their feet... at least significantly enough to hurt the company and cause investors to take action.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free

Unfortunately a rather large portion of the clientelle buys into and participates in "frat boy" culture so they're hardly likely to "vote with their wallets" in the way you'd like.

[iron]

Re: Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free

That is probably true for CoD but people are leaving WoW in droves. Every MMO forum / subreddit has lots of posts saying "I just left WoW for this game and I'm loving it here" recently.

Personally the last Blizzard game I bought was Starcraft 2 (part 1) and it will remain that way.

I think the last time I bought an Activision game it was for my VCS 2600.

[Cederic]

Re: Bobby Kotick, the Activision Blizzard CEO, is getting off scot free

Blizzard's games were among the most popular for women, and outside the US, so no, many of their clientele does not buy into or participate in 'frat boy' culture.

Games players cover all demographics these days, and generally represent well societal views and norms. Sexual harassment is not a norm here, or any business I've worked in.

[N13L5]

"Providing sexual discrimination training for executives and HR staff"

looks like a huge step in the wrong direction!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Providing sexual discrimination training for executives and HR staff"

Hush up sweetheart.

(I just finished my training).

*! SLAP #!

(I just finished my employment)

Guess I need more training... :-/

[martinusher]

"Jobs for the boys" (er, sorry, "girls")

These sorts of settlements are usually a trough for the lawyers and well connected to get their snouts into. Nothing is likely to change in real life.

I can say this authoritatively having worked in California for 35+ years. HR departments are hyper aware of discrimination -- complaints and lawsuits are easy to file and expensive to defend against so HR departments not only develop produce detailed policies but also strictly enforce them. Since HR and legal are largely -- almost exclusively in the places I've worked at -- staffed by professional women there is little chance of a 'frat boy' culture emerging. This doesn't mean to say that this couldn't exist, there has to be outliers (and you might have met this 30 years or so ago in smaller companies) but its unthinkable at anywhere I've worked (and I've worked at companies as big as Intel and as small as a five person startup).

Of course, I'm a mere developer, something of an under represented minority in today's startup. I never cease to be amazed at the plethora of job descriptions of creatives. (FWIW -- We accepted anyone who could do the job -- but then the argument could devolve around exactly what we meant by "could do the job".)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Jobs for the boys" (er, sorry, "girls")

"...minority in today's startup."

I first heard the term "startup" in the mid 1980's to describe companies that were established for less than 3 years and heavily dependent upon investment and/or investors (usage of "startup" was entirely tax related). I would think that if you''re a developer at one these classical 'startup' companies that you would have a very loud voice, especially if the company is >= 51% dependent upon software for sales and/or operations.

FWIW, in my opinion "could do the job" is dependent upon the person, not the job. At the time of interview the personality must be discerned by someone in the company with good instincts about people, not job experience. Again, my opinion but, in today's world of "software engineering" one might be better off hiring a person with 0% experience and education. The world is churning out software engineers at such a high volume that the percentage of these engineers that will very soon say "actually I hate this" is larger than ever. In a very real way, someday hiring people to write software might be similar to hiring people to mow grass (although realistically that if you honestly like writing software then mowing grass is a harder job... but keep that secret :-P ).