Technologies

EEOC lawsuit accuses Activision Blizzard of sexual harassment, discrimination

Lawsuit charges the gaming giant failed to adequately address employees’ complaints of harassment.

Activision Blizzard is facing legal action from another federal agency related to the game maker’s alleged mistreatment of female workers. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday filed a lawsuit in California federal court alleging the company violated the civil rights of employees by subjecting them to sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination and retaliation.

«Employees were subjected sexual harassment that was severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of employment,» according to the EEOC’s lawsuit, which lists the company and 10 John Does as defendants. «The conduct was unwelcome and adversely affected the employees.»

The complaint goes on to charge that although some employees lodged complaints about the harassment, the company failed to take measures to end it.

Activision Blizzard said Monday it had reached a settlement agreement with the EEOC in which it would create an $18 million to «compensate and make amends to eligible claimants.» The company also said it would strengthen policies and programs to prevent harassment and discrimination among its workforce.

«There is no place anywhere at our company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind, and I am grateful to the employees who bravely shared their experiences,» Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. «I am sorry that anyone had to experience inappropriate conduct, and I remain unwavering in my commitment to make Activision Blizzard one of the world’s most inclusive, respected, and respectful workplaces.»

The EEOC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit is just the latest in a series of complaints against the company, one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, with more $2.2 billion in profit last year.

California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard in July accusing the company of having a «frat boy» work environment and alleges several alarming incidents of discrimination and harassment.

Many employees have spoken out in support of the claims, with more than 2,000signing an open letter calling for the company to take action to support the harassment victims. Employees also held a walkout protest on July 28 to demand greater action from the company.

A complaint to the National Labor Relations Board earlier this month accuses the company of allegedly threatening or intimidating employees who were speaking out on workplace harassment. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has also opened an investigation into the company, seeking documents, board meeting minutes and other disclosures since 2019 related to the complaints of sexual misconduct.

Technologies

The Pause on iPhone Tariffs Is Set to Expire After June. Should You Buy Now?

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, May 10

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 10.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is that extra-long Saturday one, and some of the answers were pretty tough! I thought for sure the answer to 6-Across was two words, but nope, it was only one. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Common inclusion in a tourist’s brochure
Answer: MAP

4A clue: Olympic honor
Answer: MEDAL

6A clue: Any of a set of green plastic toys in «Toy Story»
Answer: SOLDIER

8A clue: Still on the loose
Answer: ATLARGE

9A clue: Driver’s license or passport
Answer: PHOTOID

10A clue: Star of the Eras Tour
Answer: SWIFT

11A clue: 30, 45 or 50, on a beach bottle: Abbr.
Answer: SPF

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Chills (out)
Answer: MELLOWS

2D clue: Prompt after swiping one’s card at an iPad cash register
Answer: ADDATIP

3D clue: Form groups of two
Answer: PAIROFF

4D clue: Flittering fliers around a flame
Answer: MOTHS

5D clue: Totally authentic
Answer: LEGIT

6D clue: Sticky stuff
Answer: SAP

7D clue: No turn on ___» (road sign)
Answer: RED

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for May 10, #229

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 229, for Saturday, May 10.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

I always start Connections: Sports Edition by scanning for clues I know that can’t fit into too many categories. Today, I spotted names of particular places, and was off to the races with the green group. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Players sometimes disagree.

Green group hint: Also Lumen, or U.S. Bank.

Blue group hint: Academic sports organizations.

Purple group hint: Tennessee signal-callers.