The Securities and Exchanges Commission has started an investigation into Activision Blizzard’s handling of employee allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace discrimination, as the The Wall Street Journal reported today. And this includes look into CEO Bobby Kotick’s communications.
The Call of Duty and World of Warcraft publisher is already facing a lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Now the company has to deal with subpoenas from a federal agency. The SEC is asking for Kotick’s communications with other executives regarding sexual harassment complaints. It is also asking for the minutes of every Activision Blizzard meeting since 2019.
The company is also facing pressure from within, as Activision Blizzard King workers have filed a complaint with support from the Communications Workers of America to the National Labor Relations.
The SEC is looking to see if Activision Blizzard and its executives kept its investors properly informed about its workplace misconduct allegations and the DFEH investigation.
Activision Blizzard spokesperson Helaine Klasky, the publisher’s chief communications officer, told The Wall Street Journal that the company is cooperating with the SEC.