Activision Asks to Pause Sex Bias Suit, Raising Ethics Clash (1)

Activision Blizzard Inc. petitioned a California court to temporarily halt an ongoing sexual harassment and discrimination case, asking for time to investigate ethics allegations against the state anti-bias agency that sued the company.

Activision’s request Tuesday is based on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s recent claim that the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing can’t join a related federal case involving the video game company due to an ethics lapse involving two of its lawyers.

“The EEOC has alleged facts that, if substantiated, could require multiple DFEH attorneys to be barred from representing DFEH in connection with this ...