Activision Blizzard's controversial CEO Bobby Kotick has been making headlines ever since the company first faced allegations of sexual harassment in 2021. Now multiple US politicians have noted that the Activision Blizzard CEO should be held accountable to some extent for the toxic workplace culture that he was responsible for.

In February, it was revealed that Bobby Kotick could receive a payout of around $15 million once Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition is approved. This payout could, however, be upgraded to around $22 million if the company's board members can agree that there has been an improvement regarding the treatment of both female and non-binary employees at Activision Blizzard. Interestingly, Kotick will still own around $619 million worth of shares even if he is removed as the CEO of Activision Blizzard.

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The possibility of Kotick's huge payout prompted multiple US Senators, including Bernie Sanders, to sign a letter addressed to the Federal Trade Commission. The letter states that the acquisition could diminish the current push by employees for accountability if Kotick is allowed to retain his position as CEO and receive an eye-watering payout if he leaves on amicable terms.

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The letter of concern also noted that the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft may exacerbate the large number of sexual abuse, harassment, and retaliation allegations at Activision Blizzard, as the senators noted that the deal may sweep away many of the accusations leveled at the company. An Activision spokesperson responded and noted that the acquisition would not affect any of the changes made during the onslaught of allegations made against the company last year and that no special terms were made for Kotick in the deal.

Activision Blizzard recently reached a settlement for one of its sexual harassment lawsuits when a judge approved the company's $18 million agreement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This sum will not go to the claimants and will instead be used to fund harassment and discrimination prevention programs within Activision Blizzard. The company is still, however, embroiled in another lawsuit with California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

In other company news, Activision Blizzard removed the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees, a decision that has been rather polarizing as employees that disagree with the mandate change have been planning to stage a walkout. The recently formed Activision-Blizzard-King Workers Alliance stated that staff will only agree to return to normal working conditions after Activision Blizzard mandates vaccination. The company compromised and noted that workers will be required to be vaccinated if they wish to return to work for the next few months.

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Source: WallStreetJournal