The latest round of the Activision Blizzard legal situation comes in the form of an expedited court ruling that denied the company its request to pause The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)'s opposition to a proposed federal settlement. This was, according to the company, to look into allegations of ethics violations from the DFEH's legal team.
After the company filed to stay the lawsuit, the DFEH formally opposed it. While the judge denied the move to pause the suit, it was a quick decision without any reasoning stated, so there’s not yet any indication of where this all might be going yet. Still, this doesn't mean anything is any closer to a resolution. The original DFEH suit accused the company of widespread discrimination, civil rights violations, sexual harassment, and hostile workplace allegations, and it wants to push forward with its extensive case without being hamstrung by potential obstacles.
What's next in this this tangled series of motions and requests seems to be going forward with the DFEH motion to halt Activision Blizzard's proposed settlement agreement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). That settlement proposal was announced as a series of changes, oversight, and an $18m proposed settlement amount. Despite the agreement to some changes, it has been criticized, and the DFEH believes allowing that settlement to go through might undermine its own case. Especially after there were allegations of evidence being destroyed
This will clearly be a long legal fight, and there's no way yet to tell just how things lean. However, some reflect upon those whose jobs and lives were affected by the company's practices and whether the dueling lawsuits are overlooking them too much. Ultimately, should the $18m settlement be allowed to go forth, there will be more questions as to how that would be divided, and if it's even sufficient, along with the other proposed conditions.
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