In a new lawsuit filed on October 7, an Activision Blizzard employee has alleged that the company did not prevent sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
The company has been hit with multiple sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits since it was sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing in July of 2021. Another suit, led by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was settled in 2021 for an $18 million sum.
These lawsuits and other employees coming forward about their time at the company has led to multiple employee walkouts and calls for CEO Bobby Kotick to resign.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2021 that the company and Kotick that the company has received about 700 reports of concern from employees around sexual assault, harassment and misconduct.
Now, a new allegation against Activision Blizzard has come forward.
New sexual assault allegations against Activision Blizzard
As first reported by the Daily Mail, the lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court and alleges repeated sexual harassment and advances from an Activision Blizzard manager, Miguel Vega.
The employee that filed the suit, identified as Jane Doe in the filing, is represented by Lisa Bloom who said her firm, The Bloom Firm, is representing eight other employees with similar claims against Activision Blizzard.
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We filed another sexual harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard on Friday.We currently represent 8 women with sexual harassment claims against this company. If you or someone you know was a victim of its rampant frat boy culture, please contact me.https://t.co/utVJnmvTIv
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) October 11, 2022
The filing details Doe’s interactions with Vega beginning in 2009. Vega allegedly helped Doe get work as a contractor for Activision Blizzard and she was later hired as a community engagement manager in 2020 according to the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that Doe was groped by Vega and that he repeatedly tried to kiss her, both acts that were unwelcome. Vega also threatened to release “compromising photos” of Doe that she sent to him soon after they first met. She says their romantic relationship ended in 2011 in the suit.
Doe reported Vega’s attempt at revenge porn to Activision Blizzard management and the manager was fired soon after, according to the lawsuit.
“We take all employee concerns seriously. When the plaintiff reported her concerns, we immediately opened an investigation, and Mr. Vega was terminated within 10 days. We have no tolerance for this kind of misconduct,” the company said in a statement to Dexerto.
This story is ongoing.