Shegerian & Associates: Riot Games To Pay $10 Million Settlement From Gender Discrimination Suit

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Riot Games has agreed to pay a settlement of $10 million to women who worked for the company resulting from alleged gender discrimination. 

Newly filed documents reveal the details of the settlement for the first time, which was initially announced in August. Approximately 1,000 women who worked at Riot Games from November 2014 until the date the settlement is finalized will be entitled to a payment from the multimillion-dollar pot. 

The suit, which began in November 2018, states that two women who formerly worked for Riot Games claims that they were routinely subjected to gender discrimination and sexual harassment including inappropriate behavior such as crotch-grabbing, phantom humping, and sending unsolicited and unwelcome pictures of male genitalia. Managers allegedly circulated a hot girl list, and ranked female employees by attractiveness - behavior that went unchecked. This was all part of what was called a "bro-like" atmosphere at the company. 

The female employees who reported this behavior claim they faced retaliation in the forms of denied promotions, refusals to provide increased compensation or equal pay, demotions, reassignment with significantly different responsibilities, losses of benefits, suspensions, terminations, and other adverse employment actions. 

The two female employees also filed individual wrongful termination and sexual harassment suits against the company. 

In addition to the monetary settlement, Riot Games has made a number of commitments to improve its company culture, such as strengthening internal programs for reporting sexual harassment and discrimination. They include undertaking a review of all pay, promotion and hiring practices to increase fairness and transparency, hiring a dedicated chief diversity officer, and creating a number of employee groups empowered to track the company's progress on these fronts.

Carney Shegerian, the founder of Los Angeles-based employee rights law firm Shegerian & Associates, has weighed in on the situation. 

"While what happened to the plaintiffs is unfathomable, the policies that will be put in place is a win for the current and future employees of Riot Games,"  he said.

About Shegerian & Associates:
Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $300 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York. 

Media Contact:

Pace Public Relations
Kara Ryan
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SOURCE Shegerian & Associates