As reported in a Washington Post article, the deal takes the form of $ 100 million that Riot Games will pay to more than 2,300 former and former employees, ending gender discrimination lawsuits . This complaint was filed in November 2018 by Melanie McCracken and Jess Negrón, two former employees who represented all women claiming to have been victims of discrimination or sexual harassment within Riot Games following an article published by Cecilia From Anastasio on the Kotaku site. In addition to discrimination in hiring and promotions, women received a lower salary than men occupying similar positions.
The DFEH and the DLSE, two Californian agencies responsible for enforcing civil rights, had put pressure in the wake of Riot Games. It is also thanks to the claims of these agencies that Riot Games will ultimately pay a much larger sum than the $ 10 million with which the company thought it could settle this case after a hearing in December 2019. In the end, Riot Games will pay $ 80 million to members of the class action, but also to all the women who have worked for Riot Games for the past 7 years. The remainder of the sum ($ 20 million) will be spent on legal costs for the plaintiffs. This agreement has yet to be approved by the court in the coming months.
In fact, all people who identify as women and worked at Riot Games between November 2014 and today are entitled to compensation. According to the Washington Post, at least 2,365 female workers are eligible for a portion of the $ 80 million, with the payment commensurate with time spent at the company. Of these 2,365 people, 1,300 are or were self-employed, a type of contract that allows for autonomy and flexibility but does not normally allow for benefits such as health insurance and paid vacation.
Since 2018, the Californian company has undertaken an internal transformation by setting up a department dedicated to diversity and inclusion. Riot Games has since been committed to upholding the three basic pillars of diverse teams, an inclusive environment and fair systems. As part of the settlement of the case, Riot Games has also just agreed to have its internal reports and pay equity processes monitored by a third party for three years. Approved by Riot Games and the DFEH, this third party will oversee human resource complaints and how they are handled, while ensuring that employees are paid fairly.
“It’s a great day for the women of Riot Games, and for the women of all video game companies and high-tech industries, who deserve a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We value Riot Games’ introspection and work since 2018 to become a more diverse and inclusive company.Complainants lawyer Genie Harrison commented.While we are proud of how far we have come since 2018, we must also take responsibility for the past“Riot Games said in a statement.
Riot Games had, however, denied the accusations made earlier this year against its French CEO, Nicolas Laurent. The executive was accused of sexual harassment and sexist remarks by a former executive assistant, Sharon O’Donnell, but an independent review in March concluded that the accusations were unfounded and that the complainant had already made a name for herself for blackmail and filing of unfounded complaints.