One More Activision Blizzard Employee Brings Allegations Of Workplace Sexual Harassment

An anonymous Jane Doe prosecuted Activision Blizzard, Inc ATVI for sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and sexual battery, among other complaints.

Doe alleged that a former product manager Miguel Vega sexually harassed her in the workplace for years, TechCrunch reported.

Vega also insinuated that if she gave in to his sexual advances, she would get a raise. Doe escalated her concerns to a manager in 2017 but bore no results. 

Later, Vega threatened to leak the intimate photos she had sent him over a decade earlier. 

By August 2021, a month after California regulators sued the company for gender-based harassment and discrimination, the plaintiff again brought her concerns to HR.

On September 1, 2021, Activision Blizzard terminated Vega. Now, Doe attempted to hold Activision Blizzard accountable for cultivating a hostile work environment and failing to protect her from sexual harassment. 

She requested a jury trial, seeking compensation for damages, medical expenses, legal fees, and lost earnings.

Lisa Bloom, the lawyer defending the plaintiff, tweeted that her firm represented eight women who claimed they experienced sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard.

For over a year, Activision Blizzard employees have protested against the company's poor handling of ongoing sexual harassment allegations. 

The CEO Robert Kotick reportedly knew for years about rampant sexual harassment at the company but failed to act.

Microsoft Corp MSFT plans to purchase the gaming giant for $68.7 billion. If the deal goes through, Kotick will likely step down as CEO.

In June, an Activision Blizzard committee of independent directors dismissed allegations of rebuttal of gender harassment claims by senior officials.

It acknowledged some substantiated instances of gender harassment and denied the officials' awareness and tolerance of harassment.

Price Action: ATVI shares traded higher by 0.23% at $73.29 in the premarket on the last check Friday.